83results about How to "Limit bending" patented technology

A medical device for clamping the stomach in morbid obesity surgery consists of a silicone frame that is essentially U-shaped, having opposing legs self-hinged to a bight portion interconnecting the legs. The opposing legs have sufficient stiffness to permit limited bending and have inner surfaces that sealingly carry an inflatable balloon which can be selectively inflated or aspirated after the device has been clamped to the stomach to adjust the gastric restriction stoma. A flexible latch member carried by one of the legs has at least one serration which is inserted into a latch cavity of the opposing leg to lock the opposing legs in fixed spaced relationship. Lumens within the legs communicate with a fluid supply source and respective inflatable balloon for selective inflation or aspiration of the inflatable balloons.

A fiber optic splice storage apparatus includes a central segment defining a splice chamber configured to receive a plurality of fiber optic splices, a first slack fiber storage segment pivotally connected to a first end of the central segment and having an open position extending from the first end away from the central segment and a closed position extending over the central segment, and a second slack fiber storage segment pivotally connected to a second end of the central segment, opposite the first end, the second slack fiber storage segment having an open position extending from the second end away from the central segment and a closed position extending over the central segment. A first plurality of slack fiber guide members on the first slack fiber storage segment are configured to receive and retain a loop of optical fibers and a second plurality of slack fiber guide members on the second slack fiber storage segment are configured to receive and retain a loop of optical fibers.

A fiber cable adapter comprises adjacent rows of fibers, each beginning with a set of fibers comprising a fiber pair, which comprises a transmitting fiber adjacent a receiving fiber, and a spare fiber adjacent the fiber pair. The spare fiber immediately precedes the fiber pair in one of the rows and immediately proceeds the fiber pair in the other row. A fiber cable cassette comprises an adapter panel supporting the fiber cable adapter. An integrated fiber cable management system comprises a fitting having a body with a collet through which a cable passes. A lock nut is threaded on a first end of the body to hold the body in relation to a chassis. A sealing nut is threaded on a second end of the body to tighten the collet on the cable to hold the cable in place in relation to the chassis. A flexible protector extends from the sealing nut to control the bend of the cable between the chassis and a fiber cable cassette. The flexible protector restricts the bend of the cable and thus extends the life of the cable.

Pop-up disposable bag is formed of light-weight disposable bag assembly capable of self erecting and self-standing. It does not require any stakes, poles, ropes or additional supports or frame to support it. The entire bag assembly is flexible and can be folded to a compact form for packaging and sale and can easily be opened into a self-standing position by removing the retainer.

A quasi-zero stiffness vibration isolator with annular permanent magnets used for generating negative stiffness comprises a base and an outer cylinder connected with the base, the outer permanent magnet is arranged in a top notch of the outer cylinder, an upper cover is connected with the outer cylinder, a sliding bearing is combined with a central hole of the upper cover in a sleeved mode, and a central shaft is sleeved with the sliding bearing and is in clearance fit with the sliding bearing. A sleeve and an adjusting sleeve are sequentially connected to the position, located on the lower portion of the sliding bearing, of the central shaft, and the inner permanent magnet is installed in the sleeve. A spring is arranged at the bottom of the central shaft in a sleeving mode, the bottom end of the spring is fixed to the base, and the top end of the spring is fixed to the adjusting sleeve. A mark line on the central shaft is used for representing the position of the inner permanent magnet relative to the outer permanent magnet. When the mark line coincides with the upper end face of the sliding bearing, the inner permanent magnet exactly faces the outer permanent magnet, and the isolator is in a normal working state. The quasi-zero stiffness vibration isolator has the advantages of being high in static stiffness and low in dynamic stiffness, basic stimulation with large amplitude can be isolated, and the mass of a vibration-isolated objected can be adjusted.

A robotic arm for transporting products in a product storage and dispensing system is disclosed. The robotic arm broadly includes a base operable to couple the arm to the dispensing system; a sprocket coupled with the base; an extendible arm segment coupled with the base; and a chain coupled with the sprocket and the extendible arm segment such that rotation of the sprocket causes movement of the chain and extension of the extendible arm segment. The robotic arm provides a compact and effective retrieval tool that is compatible with closely spaced and densely packed product shelves.

The sole structure 1 has an upper plate, a lower midsole located under and fixedly attached to the upper plate, and having a laterally extending groove opening to the bottom side of the lower midsole, and a bending restriction member formed in a bent shape and spanning the groove longitudinally between the front edge and the rear edge of the opening of the groove. During the beginning phase of sole bending, the bending restriction member allows for the sole to bend till the bending restriction member gradually extends toward a straight shape from the bent shape and becomes taut between the front edge and the rear edge of the opening of the groove. During the advanced phase of the sole bending, when the bending restriction member experiences a force from the taut state, it functions so as to restrict the sole from bending.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor mounting board includes providing a base member and linear conductive members formed of metallic wires. The conductive members are constructed so that they extend linearly between a semiconductor element-mounting face and a circuit board-mounting face of a base member, and are integrally molded within the base member. For this purpose, a resin material for forming the base member is injected into a mold wherein the conductive members are linearly arranged beforehand.

A robotic arm for transporting products in a product storage and dispensing system is disclosed. The robotic arm broadly includes a base operable to couple the arm to the dispensing system; a sprocket coupled with the base; an extendible arm segment coupled with the base; and a chain coupled with the sprocket and the extendible arm segment such that rotation of the sprocket causes movement of the chain and extension of the extendible arm segment. The robotic arm provides a compact and effective retrieval tool that is compatible with closely spaced and densely packed product shelves.

An ink jet printer includes an ink container supplying ink through a tube member to a separate print head to form an image. The ink jet printer also includes a guide rail to guide the print head, a transport roller to feed the recording medium, and a cover to prevent the tube member from contacting the roller. As the print head reciprocates in a width direction of a recording medium, the tube protruding from a surface of the print head on an end side in a moving direction thereof bends or flexes when the print head moves together with a carriage. The bending of the tube in the rearward direction is restricted by a tube band contacting the transport roller and cover. The cover and guide rail form a plane vertical to a platen at front faces of the cover and the guide. When the bending or movement of the tube is blocked or restricted by the vertical plane to a tube bending direction, the tube is not raised. Therefore, a resistance is not applied to the print head during the movement of the print head. Thus, the bending or movement of the tube can be restricted without providing a special device for the ink jet printer.

A lithographic projection apparatus includes a conduit that supplies utilities to a movable component in a vacuum chamber such as an object table, associated motor or sensor. The conduit comprises flexible metal bellows preventing out-gassing of the conduit due to the vacuum in the vacuum chamber while allowing movement of the movable component in at least a first degree of freedom.

A steering gear for a rack and pinion steering system, including a housing in which a steering rack is guided for displacement along its axis, has an auxiliary support which is located at an axial end of the housing, the auxiliary support limiting a bending of the steering rack.

A pipe structure comprising a length of a flexible pipe connected to an end fitting, the flexible pipe comprising an armour layer and an underlying pipe layer the armour layer, the underlying pipe layer having an outer surface around which armouring wires of an armouring layer are helically wound. The pipe structure provides a coupling between a flexible pipe comprising armouring wires and an end fitting, the coupling exerting a relatively low bending or flexure strain on the wires during normal operation of the flexible pipe. The transition path of an armouring wire between the flexible pipe and the end fitting comprises a straight-line-section between a wire-pipe-exit-point where the wire extends away from its underlying pipe layer and a straight-line-end-point on a support unit of the end fitting where the armouring wire in question has its first tangential point of contact. This has the advantage that in a loaded situation where the armouring wires will elongate elastically leading to a change in the helical angle of the armouring wires, the pipe structure will experience a slight twist and a controlled bending of the armouring wires on the surface of the support unit (due to a possible change in the base point of contact of the armouring wire with the support unit induced by the change of helical angle), thereby avoiding substantial bending of the individual armouring wires, which is of particular importance when the armouring wires are formed of a composite material. The pipe structure may be used in flexible pipes for the off shore transport of fluids (e.g. oil).

An offshore system for drilling or production comprises a buoyant hull. In addition, the system comprises a topside mounted to the hull and positioned above the surface of the water. Further, the system comprises a conductor having a lower end disposed in the sea bed below the sea floor and an upper end coupled to the topside. Still further, the system comprises a bend restrictor disposed about the conductor. The bend restrictor comprises a first sleeve having a lower end positioned in the sea bed below the sea floor, an upper end positioned above the sea floor, an inner surface extending between the upper end and the lower end, an outer surface extending between the upper end and the lower end, and a slit extending helically about the first sleeve. The slit extends radially from the inner surface to the outer surface of the first sleeve.

An arm restraint is adapted for limiting arm movement of a patient. The arm restraint includes a fabric arm wrap designed for receiving and folding around an arm of the patient in a generally extended condition. The arm wrap has a first end adapted for residing adjacent an upper arm of the patient and a second end residing adjacent a wrist of the patient. A plurality of spaced-apart elongated stays are incorporated within the arm wrap, and extend longitudinally from its first end to its second end. The stays cooperate to restrict bending of the arm at the elbow. A fabric shoulder fold is formed with the first end of the arm wrap, and is designed for extending over and covering a shoulder of the patient adjacent the upper arm. A torso strap is secured to the shoulder fold at a first attachment point. The torso strap has a free end designed for extending across and around an upper torso of the patient. The free end attaches to the shoulder fold at a second attachment point. The torso strap operates to secure and maintain the arm restraint in position on the arm of the patient.

A pig towing device is adapted for movement through a conduit having bends and open T intersections. The pig has a front leading cup and a rear trailing cup adapted to seal with the conduit for propelling the device through the conduit. The leading and trailing cups are spaced apart a predetermined distance to maintain the seal with the conduit as the pig towing device negotiates past the open T intersections. The pig towing device has a flexible body interconnecting the front leading cup and the rear trailing cup. The flexible body is urged normally into a straight position extending along a central axis thereof to maintain the front leading cup and the rear trailing cup spaced apart by the predetermined distance. The flexible body has predetermined limited flexibility permitting it to bend relative to the central axis as the pig towing device negotiates through the bends in the conduit.

A hollow universal joint having a first member, a second member and a first hollow yoke ring coupling the first member to the second member to transfer rotational motion between the first and second members. The first hollow yoke ring has a first central axis. The first hollow yoke ring has first pivot points pivotally coupled with the first member. The first pivot points define a first axis extending therebetween. The first pivot points are spaced from the first central axis. The first hollow yoke ring comprises second pivot points pivotally coupled with the second member. The second pivot points define a second axis extending therebetween. The second pivot points are spaced from the first central axis. The first axis extends orthogonal to the second axis and the first and second axes each extend orthogonal to the first central axis.

A pipe clamp for affixing to a pipe subjected to bending to minimize fatigue for a butt weld in the pipe. The pipe clamp includes an inside clamp segment and an outside clamp segment each having a semi-cylindrical shape, a first end and a second end. An inside surface of the inside clamp segment is substantially smooth for permitting slippage of an outside surface of the pipe with respect to the inside surface of the clamp segment. The outside clamp segment has an inside surface that defines a friction element. The friction element is for gripping an outside surface of the pipe to which the outside clamp segment is affixed. A clamp mechanism is provided for securing the inside clamp segment to the outside clamp segment.

A pig towing device is adapted for movement through a conduit having bends and open T intersections. The pig has a front leading cup and a rear trailing cup adapted to seal with the conduit for propelling the device through the conduit. The leading and trailing cups are spaced apart a predetermined distance to maintain the seal with the conduit as the pig towing device negotiates past the open T intersections. The pig towing device has a flexible body interconnecting the front leading cup and the rear trailing cup. The flexible body is urged normally into a straight position extending along a central axis thereof to maintain the front leading cup and the rear trailing cup spaced apart by the predetermined distance. The flexible body has predetermined limited flexibility permitting it to bend relative to the central axis as the pig towing device negotiates through the bends in the conduit.

The invention relates to a pipe structure (10) comprising a length of a flexible pipe connected to an end fitting, the flexible pipe comprising an armour layer (11; 19) and an underlying pipe layer (12; 11) to said armour layer, said underlying pipe layer having an outer surface around which armouring wires (111; 191) of an armouring layer are helically wound. The object of the present invention is to provide a coupling between a flexible pipe comprising armouring wires and an end fitting, the coupling exerting a relatively low bending or flexure strain on the wires during normal operation of the flexible pipe. The problem is solved in that the transition path of an armouring wire between the flexible pipe and the end fitting comprises an straight-line-section (194) between a wire-pipe-exit-point (195) where the wire extends away from its underlying pipe layer and a straight-line-end-point (196) on a support unit (15) of the end fitting where the armouring wire in question has its first tangential point of contact. This ahs the advantage that in a loaded situation where the armouring wires will elongate elastically leading to a change in the helical angle of the armouring wires, a pipe structure according to the invention will experience a slight twist and a controlled bending of the armouring wires on the surface of the support unit (due to a possible change in the base point of contact of the armouring wire with the support unit induced by the change of helical angle), thereby avoiding substantial bending of the individual armouring wires, which is of particular importance when the armouring wires are formed of a composite material. The invention may be used in flexible pipes for the off shore transport of fluids (e.g. oil).