1739results about How to "Small dimension" patented technology

The present disclosure relates to reticulated elastomeric matrices, and more particularly to at least partially degradable elastomeric elements that are compressible and exhibit resilience in their recovery and that can be employed in diverse applications including, without limitation, biological implantation, especially in humans.

A system and method for discriminating tissue types, controlling the level of therapy to tissue, and determining the health or a known tissue by measuring the characteristics an electrical signal applied to conductive element located within or by the tissue. Additionally, the system and method may be used for determining whether the conductive tip of a pedicle probe or pedicle screw is located in one of cortical bone, cancellous bone, and cortical bone near a boundary with soft tissue, whether the conductive tip of a cannula is located adjacent to one of nerve tissue and annulus tissue, and whether the conductive tip of a cathode is located adjacent to one of nerve tissue and prostate gland tissue.

A device for the transvascular implantation and fixation of prosthetic heart valves having a self-expanding heart valve stent (10) with a prosthetic heart valve (11) at its proximal end is introducible into a patient's main artery. With the objective of optimizing such a device to the extent that the prosthetic heart valve (11) can be implanted into a patient in a minimally-invasive procedure, to ensure optimal positioning accuracy of the prosthesis (11) in the patient's ventricle, the device includes a self-expanding positioning stent (20) introducible into an aortic valve positioned within a patient. The positioning stent is configured separately from the heart valve stent (10) so that the two stents respectively interact in their expanded states such that the heart valve stent (10) is held by the positioning stent (20) in a position in the patient's aorta relative the heart valve predefinable by the positioning stent (20).

A catheter for diagnosis or treatment of a vessel or organ is provided in which a flexible elongated body includes a tri-axial force sensor formed of a housing and a plurality of optical fibers associated with the housing that measure changes in the intensity of light reflected from the lateral surfaces of the housing resulting from deformation caused by forces applied to a distal extremity of the housing. A controller receives an output of the optical fibers and computes a multi-dimensional force vector corresponding to the contact force.

A stent cover for enclosing a compressible stent during a stent crimping process, the stent cover having an outer sheath with a proximal end, a distal end, an end portion at the distal end of the sheath having a first diameter, and a stent-retaining portion adjacent to the end portion and having an uncompressed diameter that is larger than the first diameter of the end portion for retaining a stent in its uncompressed condition.

A spinal column implant is provided for contact with a vertebral body. The implant includes at least one contact surface including a contact plane having a cross-sectional area in contact with the vertebral body. The shape and arrangement of the at least one contact surface is adjustable such that the cross-sectional area of the contact plane is larger in a contact position than in an insertion position.

This invention relates to reticulated elastomeric matrices, their manufacture, their post-processing, such as their reinforcement, compressive molding or annealing, and uses including uses for implantable devices into or for topical treatment of patients, such as humans and other animals, for surgical devices, tissue augmentation, tissue repair, therapeutic, nutritional, or other useful purposes.

An ultrasound catheter adapted for accessing small vessels in the distal anatomy is disclosed. The ultrasound catheter comprises an elongate tubular body formed with a delivery lumen. The flexibility and dimensions of the tubular body allow access to the distal anatomy by advancement over the guidewire. An ultrasound radiating member is provided along the distal end portion of the tubular body for emitting ultrasound energy at a treatment site. A drug solution may also be delivered through the delivery lumen and out an exit port to the treatment site.

Provided are high-resolution electrohydrodynamic inkjet (e-jet) printing systems and related methods for printing functional materials on a substrate surface. In an embodiment, a nozzle with an ejection orifice that dispenses a printing fluid faces a surface that is to be printed. The nozzle is electrically connected to a voltage source that applies an electric charge to the fluid in the nozzle to controllably deposit the printing fluid on the surface. In an aspect, a nozzle that dispenses printing fluid has a small ejection orifice, such as an orifice with an area less than 700 μm2 and is capable of printing nanofeatures or microfeatures. In an embodiment the nozzle is an integrated-electrode nozzle system that is directly connected to an electrode and a counter-electrode. The systems and methods provide printing resolutions that can encompass the sub-micron range.

The present invention is directed to a substrate having a plurality of microfeatures that provide a high surface area and are open to provide ready access to fluids and components therein. Methods of making the high surface area substrates are described and include generating microfeatures and / or microstructures on the surface of the substrate.

A device for the transvascular implantation and fixation of prosthetic heart valves having a self-expanding heart valve stent (10) with a prosthetic heart valve (11) at its proximal end is introducible into a patient's main artery. With the objective of optimizing such a device to the extent that the prosthetic heart valve (11) can be implanted into a patient in a minimally-invasive procedure, to ensure optimal positioning accuracy of the prosthesis (11) in the patient's ventricle, the device includes a self-expanding positioning stent (20) introducible into an aortic valve positioned within a patient. The positioning stent is configured separately from the heart valve stent (10) so that the two stents respectively interact in their expanded states such that the heart valve stent (10) is held by the positioning stent (20) in a position in the patient's aorta relative the heart valve predefinable by the positioning stent (20).

A portable analysis appliance includes a housing and a magazine for holding test elements. A delivery device is provided for delivering the test elements from a first position in the interior of the magazine to a second position lying at least partially outside the magazine and inside the housing. The delivery of the test elements including a first movement out of the interior of the magazine and a second movement by means of a guide into a presentation position.

Large diameter self-expanding endoprosthetic devices, such as stents and stent grafts for delivery to large diameter vessels, such as the aorta, are disclosed having very small compacted delivery dimensions. Devices with deployed dimensions of 26 to 40 mm or more are disclosed that are compacted to extremely small dimensions of 5 mm or less, enabling percutaneous delivery of said devices without the need for surgical intervention. Compaction efficiencies are achieved by combining unique material combinations with new forms of restraining devices, compaction techniques, and delivery techniques. These inventive devices permit consistent percutaneous delivery of large vessel treatment devices. Additionally, small endoprosthetic devices are disclosed that can be compacted to extremely small dimensions for delivery through catheter tubes of less than 1 mm diameter.

A disposable-type hearing aid uses a relatively large single diaphragm or a large single diaphragm subdivided into a plurality of smaller active diaphragm areas obtained using a grate-like back support plate with ridges which contact and divide the diaphragm into the several smaller active diaphragm areas. The diaphragm and a backplate are enclosed in a metal housing and are disposed proximal and parallel to a shell-like hearing aid enclosure having sound inlets. The metal housing is closed at an end opposite the sound inlets by a printed circuit board (PCB) forming an acoustical seal for a back volume of the microphone. The PCB also carries substantially all the electronic components for the hearing aid thereon. The PCB has a ground plane in contact with the housing whereby the PCB also acts as an EMI shield. An electrical connection is formed in various ways between the back support plate and the PCB during assembly of the metal housing and components with the PCB. Mass production of disposable hearing aids with large diaphragms and relatively low noise levels is thus possible using this invention.

A vehicle brake device is provided with a hydraulic brake device for boosting by a booster device a braking manipulation force generated upon a braking manipulation, for applying a base fluid pressure generated in dependence on the boosted brake manipulation force, to wheel cylinders of wheels so that a base hydraulic brake force is generated on the wheels, and for driving a pump to generate and apply a controlled fluid pressure to the wheel cylinders so that a controlled hydraulic brake force is generated on the wheels; braking manipulation state detecting means for detecting the braking manipulation state; a regenerative brake device for causing an electric motor to generate a regenerative brake force corresponding to the braking manipulation state on the wheels driven by the electric motor; variation detecting means for detecting the variation of an actual regenerative brake force actually generated by the regeneration braking device; and brake force compensating means for generating the controlled fluid pressure by driving the pump of the hydraulic brake device so that a controlled hydraulic brake force is generated on the wheels to compensate for the lack of the regenerative brake force due to the variation which is detected by the variation detecting means.

A two-stage power converter that dynamically adjusts to output current requirements includes a first stage regulator that provides power to a second stage regulator. The first stage can be a buck converter, and the second stage can be a multiple-phase buck converter. The output voltage of the first stage (intermediate bus voltage Vbus) is varied according to the load current to optimize conversion efficiency. To provide maximum efficiency, the Vbus voltage is increased as load current increases. The Vbus voltage provided by the first stage can be varied by duty cycle or operating frequency control. In another embodiment, the switching frequency of the second stage is varied as output current changes so that output current ripple is held constant. In an embodiment employing a multiple-phase buck converter in the second stage, the number of operating phases are varied as output current changes.

A miniaturized optical component (36) for a camera pen has the shape of a plate and comprises at least two non-overlapping radiation-transmitting sections: an imaging section (36′) configured to transmit an image of an object plane, and an illuminating section (36″) configured to transmit illuminating radiation towards the object plane. Passive optical elements may be incorporated in the component to provide the imaging and illuminating sections, e.g. an image-generating surface structure, an illumination-controlling surface structure, a radiation filter, a stray light shield, and an aperture stop. These optical elements may be provided as well-defined surface structures and layers on a plate substrate. The optical component may be manufactured as a wafer structure comprising a plurality of these optical components. A camera housing (22) may be provided with a first mounting structure (56) for the optical component (36), a second mounting structure (64) for an image sensor (11) configured to detect the image, and a third mounting structure (66) for a radiation source (13) configured to generate the illuminating radiation. An elongate guide pipe (24) for receiving a stylus (8) may be received in and joined to an elongate recess (28) in an exterior wall portion of the camera housing (22).

This invention relates to biodurable, reticulated elastomeric matrices that are resiliently-compressible, their manufacture and uses including uses for implantable devices into or for topical treatment of patients, such as humans and other animals, for therapeutic, nutritional, or other useful purposes.

A variable speed wind turbine having a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG), includes an exciter machine mechanically coupled to the DFIG and a power converter placed between a rotor of the DFIG and the exciter machine. Thus, the power converter is not directly connected to the grid avoiding the introduction of undesired harmonic distortion and achieving a better power quality fed into the utility grid. Moreover, the variable speed wind turbine includes a power control and a pitch regulation.

For the high spatial resolution imaging of a structure of interest in a specimen, a substance is selected from a group of substances which have a fluorescent first state and a nonfluorescent second state; which can be converted fractionally from their first state into their second state by light which excites them into fluorescence, and which return from their second state into their first state; the specimen's structure of interest is imaged onto a sensor array, a spatial resolution limit of the imaging being greater (i.e. worse) than an average spacing between closest neighboring molecules of the substance in the specimen; the specimen is exposed to light in a region which has dimensions larger than the spatial resolution limit, fractions of the substance alternately being excited by the light to emit fluorescent light and converted into their second state, and at least 10% of the molecules of the substance that are respectively in the first state lying at a distance from their closest neighboring molecules in the first state which is greater than the spatial resolution limit; and the fluorescent light, which is spontaneously emitted by the substance from the region, is registered in a plurality of images recorded by the sensor array during continued exposure of the specimen to the light.

The invention provides a luminous element that includes a light-guiding device in which light is guided by reflection. The light-guiding device has at least one light-scattering area with light-scattering structures. The light-scattering structures can be applied to the surface of the light-scattering area. The luminous element also includes at least one light entry surface that is coupled to at least one organic light-emitting diode.

A device for a ball-and-socket-type connection of two members includes a first member having a head and a second member having a cavity that receives the head. The cross-sectional surface of the cavity is tapered at the lower end of the second member as a result of a constriction. The head and / or cavity is configured spherically with a center of articulation (Z). The ball-and-socket-type connection between the two members can be detachably fixed by a clamping element that can be connected to the second member. The head has a recess in which the front end of the clamping element can rest. The recess and / or the front end has an at least partially spherical surface with a centre (C). In the clamped position of the device, the center of articulation (Z) and the centre (C) are identical.

A composite implantable device for promoting tissue ingrowth therein comprising a biodurable reticulated elastomeric matrix having a three-dimensional porous structure having a continueous network of interconnected and intercommunicating open pores and a support structure is disclosed. The support structure may be a polymeric surgical mesh comprising a plurality of intersecting one-dimensional reinforcement elements, wherein said mesh is affixed to a face of said first matrix. Methods of making and using the implantable device are also provided.

A single-channel, expanded beam connector having a front and rear orientation and comprising: (a) a housing; (b) an outer sleeve at least partially contained by the housing; (c) a first inner sleeve disposed at least partially in the outer sleeve; (d) a ferrule disposed at least partially in the first inner sleeve; (e) a lens disposed at least partially in the first inner sleeve in front of the ferrule, wherein the lens and the ferrule have about the same outside first diameter which is just slightly less than that of the inside diameter of the first inner sleeve such that the ferrule and the lens are held in optical alignment in the first inner sleeve, and wherein the distal end of the outer sleeve extends beyond the inner sleeve to receive a second inner sleeve of a mating structure, the first and second inner sleeves having the same diameter which is just slightly less than the inside diameter of the outer sleeve such that the first and inner sleeves are aligned within the outer sleeve.

The present invention relates to a system for landing UAV's. The system comprises a slingshot structure that includes arm based structure and an axis means installed along the arm of the structure and wherein it enables the arm to move around it in addition, the system comprises base means connecting the axis means to a platform at which the system is installable. The system also include a controlled pulling and braking means that connects between the arm of the structure and the platform upon which the system is installable and a stretchable elastic means installed in a stretched manner at a gap formed between two arms and set to connect with a landing UAV. At the landing phase, the controlled pulling and braking means of the system, essentially breaks the motion of the arm based structure that is propelled to revolve around the system's axis means, from a time that the UAV forms contact with the elastic means and with it propels the structure to move around the axis means.

A flash memory system comprising temporary memory, writing apparatus for writing first logical data from the temporary memory into flash memory cells having at least two levels, thereby to generate a physical representation of the first logical data including known errors, reading apparatus for reading the physical representation from the cells, thereby to generate, and store in the temporary memory, second logical data which if read immediately is identical to the first logical data other than the known errors; and controlling apparatus controlling the writing apparatus and the reading apparatus and including known error ID apparatus operative to identify the known errors by comparing the first logical data to second logical data read immediately after the physical representation is generated, to store information characterizing the known errors and to use the information, when the second logical data is next read, to correct the known errors.

A method and apparatus for parallel and adaptive signal reconstruction from a multitude of signal measurements. Algorithms and hardware are disclosed to denoise the measured signals, to compress the measured signals, and to reconstruct the signal from fewer measurements than standard state-of-the-art methods require. A parallel hardware design is disclosed in which the methods that are described can be efficiently executed.

A micromachined device for efficient thermal processing at least one fluid stream includes at least one fluid conducting tube having at least a region with wall thickness of less than 50 mum. The device optionally includes one or more thermally conductive structures in thermal communication with first and second thermally insulating portions of the fluid conducting tube. The device also may include a thermally conductive region, and at least a portion of the fluid conducting tube is disposed within the region. A plurality of structures may be provided projecting from a wall of the fluid conducting tube into an inner volume of the tube. The structures enhance thermal conduction between a fluid within the tube and a wall of the tube. A method for fabricating, from a substrate, a micromachined device for processing a fluid stream allows the selective removal of portions of the substrate to provide desired structures integrated within the device. As an example, the micromachined device may be adapted to efficiently react fluid reactants to produce fuel for a fuel cell associated with the device, resulting in a system capable of conversion of chemical to electrical energy.

A surgical stapling instrument comprising a handle assembly having a proximal end, an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle assembly, a head portion disposed adjacent a distal portion of the elongated body portion and including an anvil assembly and a shell assembly. The shell assembly includes a shell and a staple guide housing a plurality of staples. A flexible engagement structure attaches the staple guide to the shell.