180results about How to "Simple and inexpensive structure" patented technology

An articulate minimally invasive surgical instrument with a flexible wrist to facilitate the safe placement and provide visual verification of the ablation catheter or other devices in Cardiac Tissue Ablation (CTA) treatments is described. In one embodiment, the instrument is an endoscope which has an elongate shaft, a flexible wrist at the working end of the shaft, and a vision scope lens at the tip of the flexible wrist. The flexible wrist has at least one degree of freedom to provide the desired articulation. It is actuated and controlled by a drive mechanism located in the housing at the distal end of the shaft. The articulation of the endoscope allows images of hard-to-see places to be taken for use in assisting the placement of the ablation catheter on the desired cardiac tissue. The endoscope may further include couplings to releasably attach an ablation device / catheter or a catheter guide to the endoscope thereby further utilizing the endoscope articulation to facilitate placement of the ablation catheter on hard-to-reach cardiac tissues. In another embodiment, the articulate instrument is a grasper or any other instrument with a flexible wrist and a built-in lumen to allow an endoscope to insert and be guided to the distal end of the instrument.

An articulate minimally invasive surgical instrument with a flexible wrist to facilitate the safe placement and provide visual verification of the ablation catheter or other devices in Cardiac Tissue Ablation (CTA) treatments is described. In one embodiment, the instrument is an endoscope which has an elongate shaft, a flexible wrist at the working end of the shaft, and a vision scope lens at the tip of the flexible wrist. The flexible wrist has at least one degree of freedom to provide the desired articulation. It is actuated and controlled by a drive mechanism located in the housing at the distal end of the shaft. The articulation of the endoscope allows images of hard-to-see places to be taken for use in assisting the placement of the ablation catheter on the desired cardiac tissue. The endoscope may further include couplings to releasably attach an ablation device / catheter or a catheter guide to the endoscope thereby further utilizing the endoscope articulation to facilitate placement of the ablation catheter on hard-to-reach cardiac tissues. In another embodiment, the articulate instrument is a grasper or any other instrument with a flexible wrist and a built-in lumen to allow an endoscope to insert and be guided to the distal end of the instrument.

The present invention is directed to a tool having a wrist mechanism that provides pitch and yaw rotation in such a way that the tool has no singularity in roll, pitch, and yaw. A positively positionable multi-disk wrist mechanism includes a plurality of disks or vertebrae stacked in series. Each vertebra is configured to rotate in pitch or in yaw with respect to each neighboring vertebra. Actuation cables are used to manipulate and control movement of the vertebrae. In specific embodiments, some of the cables are distal cables that extend from a proximal vertebra through one or more intermediate vertebrae to a distal vertebra, while the remaining cables are medial cables that extend from the proximal vertebra to one or more of the intermediate vertebrae. The cables are actuated by a pivoted plate cable actuator mechanism. In specific embodiments, the actuator mechanism includes a plurality of small radius holes or grooves for receiving the medial cables and a plurality of large radius holes or grooves for receiving the distal cables. The holes or grooves restrain the medial cables to a small radius of motion and the distal cables to a large radius of motion, so that the medial cables to the medial vertebra move only a fraction of the amount as the distal cables to the distal vertebra, so as to achieve precise control and manipulation of the vertebrae.

The present invention is directed to a tool having a wrist mechanism that provides pitch and yaw rotation in such a way that the tool has no singularity in roll, pitch, and yaw. A positively positionable multi-disk wrist mechanism includes a plurality of disks or vertebrae stacked in series. Each vertebra is configured to rotate in pitch or in yaw with respect to each neighboring vertebra. Actuation cables are used to manipulate and control movement of the vertebrae. In specific embodiments, some of the cables are distal cables that extend from a proximal vertebra through one or more intermediate vertebrae to a distal vertebra, while the remaining cables are medial cables that extend from the proximal vertebra to one or more of the intermediate vertebrae. The cables are actuated by a pivoted plate cable actuator mechanism. In specific embodiments, the actuator mechanism includes a plurality of small radius holes or grooves for receiving the medial cables and a plurality of large radius holes or grooves for receiving the distal cables. The holes or grooves restrain the medial cables to a small radius of motion and the distal cables to a large radius of motion, so that the medial cables to the medial vertebra move only a fraction of the amount as the distal cables to the distal vertebra, so as to achieve precise control and manipulation of the vertebrae.

A laser beam emitted from a laser diode of each of detectors is applied to a partly cut region of a photosensitive sheet film which is spread toward the detectors by a film bending roller. Part of the laser beam which is reflected from the partly cut region is detected by an amount-of-light sensor. The laser beam that is applied to a surface of the photosensitive sheet film other than the partly cut region is reflected outside of a light-detecting area of the amount-of light sensor, and is not detected by the amount-of-light sensor.

A device for inflating a tire having gone flat to a wanted pressure and for sealing and inflating a puncture tire. The device includes a compressed-air source, a tubular container filled with a sealing agent, and a first conduit having an adapter at its second end for connecting the conduit to a valve on the tire. The container furthermore has an inlet opening for passage of compressed air from the compressed-air source and an outlet opening for passage of sealing agent. The container is enclosed by a tubular cylinder having at one end an aperture closed by a cover. The cover is mounted displaceable on the cylinder between a first operative position and a second operative position. Thereby, it is obtained that the device is quick and easy to operate. Sealing and inflating of a puncture tire are done in between one and three minutes. Packed up, the device takes up practically no space whereby the heavy and bulky spare wheel is made unnecessary. Thereby, the space and load capacity previously occupied by the spare wheel is utilized.

Powdered fluorescent material excited by visible light that emits visible light has particles with particle sizes of 20 μm or less in the content of below 2% by mass. The method for manufacturing a powdered fluorescent material comprises the steps of: sintering raw material powder of the fluorescent material; and chemically processing the sintered powder after said sintering with acid solution.

A swirling bathing tub includes a bathing tub, a water ejecting device mounted on an inner side face of the bathing tub and having at least one water outlet defined in the casing and a water inlet for connection with a water source, a water pump mounted inside the casing and having a water inflow pipe in communication with the water inlet and a water outflow pipe corresponding to the at least one water outlet, a baffle rotatably mounted inside the casing and having at least one through hole corresponding to the at least one water outlet so that water flowing through the water outflow pipe of the pump is able to selectively flow to the bathing tub to create a soothing massaging effect to the user.

A leakage detection circuit for an electric vehicle includes a battery pack, first and second leakage detection switches, a controller, a leakage detection resistor, a voltage detector, and a calculator. The first and second leakage detection switches are connected to the high and low voltage sides of the battery pack, respectively. The battery pack includes a plurality of batteries that are connected in series. The midpoint of the leakage detection resistor is connected to the ground via the first and second leakage detection switches. The controller alternately turns the first and second leakage detection switches ON. Thus, the voltage detector detects leakage voltage values that are generated in the leakage detection resistor. The controller turns the first and second leakage detection switches ON and OFF, respectively, to detect a first leakage voltage value of the leakage voltage values. On the other hand, the controller turning the first and second leakage detection switches OFF and ON, respectively, to detect a second leakage voltage value of the leakage voltage values. Consequently, the calculator detects leakage based on the first and second leakage voltage values.

A drawing device includes: a mounting unit having a mounting surface on which a finger or a toe having a nail is placed; a drawing unit configured to draw at least one specific line on the nail placed on the mounting surface from a first direction; and a nail shape detection unit configured to acquire a specific picture by imaging the specific line from a second direction different from the first direction and to detect a curved shape of the nail in a width direction of the nail based on a shape of the specific line along the width direction in the specific picture.

A heel cup can be inserted into a shoe in order to define a posterior upward projection and lateral wings which surround the posterior and lateral faces of the calcaneum and which, through lateral notches, define a preferential deformation zone at, and in the direction of, the subtalar cone of the tibiotarsal joint. Moreover, a sufficiently-rigid connecting zone connects the posterior upward projection and the lateral wings, thus providing the shoe with good stability while enabling inversion and eversion foot movements. In this way, comfort is increased considerably, while the risk of articular injuries is reduced since the subtalar articulation is contained correctly upon reaching the limit thereof.

A drawing device includes: a mounting unit having a mounting surface on which a finger or a toe having a nail is placed; a drawing unit configured to draw at least one specific line on the nail placed on the mounting surface from a first direction; and a nail shape detection unit configured to acquire a specific picture by imaging the specific line from a second direction different from the first direction and to detect a curved shape of the nail in a width direction of the nail based on a shape of the specific line along the width direction in the specific picture.

Provided is a low-cost control device for an electric servo press, which is excellent in operability and operation efficiency, capable of abruptly stopping a servomotor in a safe and reliable manner within a short time period in response to an abrupt stop command while avoiding hard actuation of a mechanical brake, reliably and quickly stopping the servomotor even in the case where runaway of the servomotor or the like occurs. An electric servo press performs switching to rotation stop control for a servomotor according to an abrupt stop motion based on an abrupt stop command signal to perform brake actuation so as to cause a mechanical brake to actually start braking and to forcibly interrupt rotational drive power to the servomotor at a scheduled stop time at which the servomotor is stopped according to the abrupt stop motion. As a result, even if an abrupt stop request is issued in the case where runaway or the like occurs due to abnormality of the servomotor, a control system therefor, or the like, the rotation of the servomotor may be reliably and quickly stopped.

A glow plug energization control apparatus is provided which includes a power supply working to supply electric power to a glow plug mounted in an internal combustion engine, an on-off switch working to produce a control trigger signal when turned on, and a controller including a microcomputer. The microcomputer is responsive to the control trigger signal to control supply of the electric power from the power supply to energize the glow plug. The microcomputer works to monitor an off-on interval from turning off to turning on of the on-off switch and control an amount of energization of the glow plug as a function of the off-on interval, thereby avoiding overheating of the glow plug.

A drain water bacteriostatic structure for an air conditioner is provided with a drain pan 8 for holding drain water generated in an air conditioner 1 and an upright antibacterial member 50 which is provided in the drain pan 8. The antibacterial member 50 is provided with an antibacterial agent 50B. The length L3 of the antibacterial member 50 in the up-down direction is set such that the lower end portion 50a of the antibacterial member 50 is immersed in drain water when the drain water is at the minimum water level L1 in the drain pan 8, and the upper end portion 50b of the antibacterial member 50 is exposed above the maximum water level L2 of drain water in the drain pan 8 by a predetermined length H or more.

A transmission and reception device is located at a predetermined height on a movable object and directed toward an outside. The transmission and reception device includes a transmission unit for repeatedly transmitting sensing waves at a predetermined interval and a reception unit for receiving reflective waves of the sensing waves from a detected object. A peak value detecting unit detects peak values of the received reflective waves and stores the detected peak values. A difference arithmetic unit calculates a difference in the detected peak values with movement of the movable object closer to the detected object. An object determination unit determines the detected object to be a near-road-surface obstacle, which is close to a road surface, when the difference is a negative value. The object determination unit determines the detected object to be an other obstacle than the near-road-surface obstacle when the difference is a positive value.

A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine which has a spray hole designed geometrically to produce a spray of fuel so that substantially 70% or more of an amount of the spray hits a preselected area of a head of an intake valve of the engine when the intake valve is closed. The preselected area is one of a first and a second area of the intake valve head which are defined by a reference boundary line extending through a base end of a stem of the intake valve. The preselected area is the first area closer to an intake manifold, while the second area is closer to an exhaust valve. This avoids rich misfire and reduces HC emissions from the engine regardless of the intake valve is in a closed state or in an open state.

A gas pressure regulator comprises a main body having a first, gas inlet pipe and a second, gas outlet pipe, a calibrated gas passage through which gas flows from the first pipe to the second pipe, a shutter housed at least partially in the main body and mobile lengthwise along a first defined line to adjust the opening of the calibrated passage, a device for actuating the shutter and a regulator spring unit opposing the movement of the shutter.

A winker assembly for a vehicle has a hazard maintaining function that can maintain a hazard state even if a key is removed when moving away from the vehicle, with a comparatively simple and inexpensive structure. If a hazard switch is turned on with the ignition switch in an on state, the LOAD terminal of the winker relay is connected to the winkers, and all the winkers are flashed to give a hazard state. The winker relay is provided with a current detection circuit for detecting current flowing in the winkers, and a maintaining circuit for maintaining a winker flashing signal based on detected current, and when it has been determined that detected current is equivalent to four winker lamps being lit current for flashing the winkers is maintained even after the ignition switch is turned off.

An inverter transformer for lighting multiple discharge lamps is provided which has a plurality of output voltages including reversed polarity output voltages while ensuring a reliable insulation performance, and which is produced in a small size and at a low cost. An inverter transformer includes a magnetic core assembly, and a plurality of bobbins each having a primary winding and a secondary winding wound therearound. Adjacent two bobbins of the bobbins constitute either a first bobbin pair which are provided with respective secondary windings at which output voltages having their polarities reversed from each other are induced, or a second bobbin pair. An insulation distance setting means are provided between the two bobbins so that the distance between the secondary windings disposed at the two bobbins and of the first bobbin pair is larger than the distance between the secondary windings disposed at the two bobbins of the second bobbin pair.

A chair comprising a basic structure, a seat, a backrest, and at least one joint made of plastic material, which connects the backrest to the basic structure, wherein the joint has a first connection portion fixed to or integral with respect to the backrest, and a second connection portion connected to the basic structure, wherein said second connection portion comprises a first and a second arm, which are elongated in a longitudinal direction and are set at a distance from one another in a vertical direction, wherein the first arm has a front portion fixed to the basic structure and is deformable between a resting position corresponding to the resting position of the backrest and a deformed position corresponding to the position where the backrest is tilted backwards, wherein the second arm has a front portion, which is mobile in a longitudinal direction with respect to the basic structure between a first position corresponding to the resting position of the first arm, and a second position corresponding to the deformed position of the first arm, and wherein the second arm and the basic structure are provided with respective arrest elements which limit the extent of the travel in a longitudinal direction of the front portion of the second arm and define an end-of-travel of tilting backwards of the backrest.