102 results about "Natural position" patented technology

A pointing device incorporates a biometric sensor at a location such that when operating the pointing device in a normal manner, a user's hand rests naturally in a position to place a finger of the user's hand in proximity to and readable by the biometric sensor. In one embodiment, a computer trackball pointing device includes a fingerprint sensor which is equally well suitable for use by either a right-handed or a left-handed user. Along with positional information from a position sensor and user selection information from at least one user-depressable button, the pointing device also conveys to an attached computer system information associated with the user's identity detected by the fingerprint sensor. Such a pointing device is well suited to both transparent verification as well as continuous verification, for if a user removes his or her hand from the natural position when using the device, the user's fingerprint will no longer be detectable by the fingerprint sensor, and the computer system to which the pointing device is attached can be alerted as to the need to re-authenticate any additional attempts at using the pointing device.

A keyboard for a notebook computer, personal computer, Personal Data Assistance computer or a game having two keyboard sections. In one embodiment the sections are fixedly mounted on the underside of the chassis of the device and the keys are arranged with half the keys on one section and half the keys are on the other section and positioned such that each key is in a natural position corresponding to the position of the keys when one is typing on a conventional keyboard. In another embodiment, each section is hingeably attached to an edge of the keyboard and the keyboard may be used in one position where the sections extend from the keyboard and face the user an another position where the sections are folded against the backside of the chassis of the device.

A computer keyboard is provided allowing configuration of the keys in any position. The keyboard includes a sensing surface capable of sensing the position of one or multiple, simultaneous finger presses. The position of the keyboard homekeys can be defined as the most comfortable, natural position of a user's hands. The remaining keys may have their positions defined relative to the homekeys for ease of use. Also, the keyboard can automatically adjust the position of the non-homekeys based on a moving average of the actual location of the user's depression of each such key.

A tongue retaining system is disclosed herein generally having, in one variation, a two-part system. A covering can be sized to fit at least partially over or upon a tongue of a patient, where the covering has an engagement mechanism positioned thereon. A retaining device, sized to fit within a mouth of the patient, may be positioned upon the teeth and have a corresponding engagement mechanism positioned thereon for temporarily coupling with the engagement mechanism on the covering. Such a system can be used to maintain or hold a natural position of the tongue within the mouth of the patient to maintain patency of the airway passages.

In one embodiment, an oral appliance includes a first arch adapted to receive at least some of a user's teeth and a second arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's teeth. The first arch includes an anterior substantially planar region, a right posterior substantially planar region, and a left posterior substantially planar region. The second arch includes an anterior bearing point, a right posterior bearing point, and a left posterior bearing point. Each bearing point of the second arch contacts a corresponding substantially planar region of the first arch when the user bites down with the oral appliance inserted in the user's mouth and the user's temporomandibular joint in its proper natural position. In a more particular embodiment, the oral appliance may be used to help maintain stability of one or more aspects of the user's masticatory system, including at least helping to maintain proper positioning of the user's temporomandibular joint.

A non-rotating anatomical-shaped breast implant having a front side with a smooth surface and a rear side with a textured surface. A smooth surface ripples or wrinkles little, if at all. Rippling or wrinkling of the implant may undesirably produce a visible or palpable waviness on the skin of the breast. A smooth surface is more likely to produce the look and feel of a natural breast. A rear side with a textured surface is desirable because tissue growth of the body, after the implant has been implanted, engages the textured surface to anchor the implant in place such that the front side with the smooth surface remains matched with the front side of the body and such that the anatomical-shaped breast implant with its tear drop shaped fullness remains at a natural position within the breast. The disclosure further includes a method for minimizing the rotation of an implant within the body and a method for making an implant envelope that has different thicknesses.

An endoscopic bite block, with teeth position defining regions which guide the subject's teeth to grip the bite block in their natural position, with the teeth of the upper jaw positioned further out than the lower jaw teeth. These teeth position defining regions are also preferably curved to match the curved shape of the jaw. The upper and lower parts of the front plate of the bite block may also be positioned at different distances out, so that upper and lower lip regions both contact the front plate snuggly. The bite block may be used with separate oral / nasal cannulae, or may incorporate breath sampling or gas supply cannulae. A flexible flapped curtain at the outer end of the bite block may be provided to largely enclose the inner volume of the bite block to enable more accurate capnographic sampling under conditions of wide-open mouth breathing.

PCT No. PCT / SE97 / 00167 Sec. 371 Date Aug. 4, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Aug. 4, 1998 PCT Filed Feb. 4, 1997 PCT Pub. No. WO97 / 27737 PCT Pub. Date Aug. 7, 1997A claw for a milking machine comprises a housing (1, 3) defining an inner space and having four inlet members (8', 9'), which are intended to connect the inner space of the housing (1, 3) to a respective teatcup of the milking machine, and an outlet member, adapted to connect the inner space of the housing (1, 3) to a milk collecting member of the milking machine via a conduit member. The four inlet members are provided in pairs in such a manner that they are adapted to the natural position of the teats. Thereby, a first pair (8), intended for two front teats of the animal to be milked, has a different position with respect to the center axis (5) than a second pair (9'), intended for the rear teats of the animal.

A tongue retaining system is disclosed herein generally having, in one variation, a two-part system. A covering can be sized to fit at least partially over or upon a tongue of a patient, where the covering has an engagement mechanism positioned thereon. A retaining device, sized to fit within a mouth of the patient, may be positioned upon the teeth and have a corresponding engagement mechanism positioned thereon for temporarily coupling with the engagement mechanism on the covering. Such a system can be used to maintain or hold a natural position of the tongue within the mouth of the patient to maintain patency of the airway passages.

A prosthetic device suitable for treating canine hip dysplasia and lumbosacral disorders and method of use. The prosthetic device comprises a harness attachable to the canine. Complementary rear braces are provided comprising a right brace and a left brace wherein the right brace comprises a right leg strap for encircling the right leg of the canine, and the left brace comprises a left leg strap for encircling the left leg of the canine. The right brace and left brace are engageable to apply force to persuade the hip towards a natural position. A tether between the harness and the complementary rear braces draws the right brace and left brace forward.

According to one embodiment, an oral appliance for maintaining stability of one or more aspects of a user's masticatory system includes a first arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's teeth and a second arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's teeth. The first arch includes an anterior substantially planar region located proximate a midline of the first arch. The second arch includes an anterior bearing platform located proximate a midline of the second arch, elongated in an anterior-posterior direction, and operable to contact the anterior substantially planar region of the first arch when the user bites down with the oral appliance inserted in the user's mouth and the user's temporomandibular joint in its proper natural position to help maintain stability of one or more aspects of the user's masticatory system.

A ureteral access sheath adapted for insertion into a urethra includes an elongate tube extending between a proximal end and a distal end. A handle assembly is disposed at the proximal end and includes enlarged portions which inhibit migration of the sheath into the urethra. The enlarged portions are shaped like the bell of a horn with a concave, distally-facing outer surface and a convex, proximally-facing inner surface. The inner surface functions as a funnel while the outer surface is sized and configured to receive adjacent fingers of a user's hand held in its natural position. In an associated method, this shape of the handle assembly facilitates maintaining the sheath in a stationary position during insertion and removal of instrumentation. The handle assembly can be movable on the tube to facilitate variation of the sheath link in situ.

A wheeled luggage case (1) has a single telescoping handle arm assembly (10) and a cantilevered handle grip (11) which is rotatably attached to the top end (13) of the handle arm assembly, such that the plane of rotation of the grip is approximately parallel to the rolling direction of the luggage case. The cantilevered handle grip (11) rotates from a position approximately perpendicular to the telescoping handle arm assembly (10) to a position approximately 30° below the horizontal, and a resilient element is provided which urges the grip to rotate downwardly while in use. The invention provides an ergonomically comfortable wheeled luggage case by allowing the user to grasp the grip in a natural position and, simultaneously, increasing the amount of leverage available to prevent the luggage case from tipping over when it is rolled over uneven ground. Further, the resilient element distributes the weight of the luggage case evenly across the user's hand.

A technique for stylus-based syllabic input that is fast and easy and does not require any additional hardware and can be deployed on a handheld device is described. In one example embodiment, this is accomplished by writing a base syllabic character consisting of a vowels or consonant in a writing area. One or more modifiers that are displayed as icons substantially around the writing area of a syllabic level user interface are then selected to form a desired syllabic character. The one or more modifiers are arranged at familiar / natural positions around the base character's writing area to facilitate entry / selection of modifiers and to reduce eye movement / cognitive load on the user. The syllabic characters are then accumulated locally until a desired word is formed, to reduce visual disconnect between the input interface and the end application, and to provide context for formation of the desired word. Further, one or more hypothesis words are then presented to speed up the formation and inputting of a desired word. The formed desired word is then cleared from the display area and sent to an application display area by tapping a space button provided in the syllabic character input user interface.

A pointing device incorporates a biometric sensor at a location such that when operating the pointing device in a normal manner, a user's hand rests naturally in a position to place a finger of the user's hand in proximity to and readable by the biometric sensor. In one embodiment, a computer trackball pointing device includes a fingerprint sensor which is equally well suitable for use by either a right-handed or a left-handed user. Along with positional information from a position sensor and user selection information from at least one user-depressable button, the pointing device also conveys to an attached computer system information associated with the user's identity detected by the fingerprint sensor. Such a pointing device is well suited to both transparent verification as well as continuous verification, for if a user removes his or her hand from the natural position when using the device, the user's fingerprint will no longer be detectable by the fingerprint sensor, and the computer system to which the pointing device is attached can be alerted as to the need to re-authenticate any additional attempts at using the pointing device.

In one embodiment, an oral appliance includes a first arch adapted to receive at least some of a user's teeth and a second arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's teeth. The first arch includes an one or more substantially planar regions, such as a single anterior substantially planar region or an anterior substantially planar region, a right posterior substantially planar region, and a left posterior substantially planar region for example. The second arch includes one or more bearing points, such as a single anterior bearing point or an anterior bearing point, a right posterior bearing point, and a left posterior bearing point for example. A bearing point may include a ball that contacts the corresponding substantially planar region of the first arch when the user bites down with the oral appliance inserted in the user's mouth and the user's temporomandibular joint in its proper natural position. In a more particular embodiment, the oral appliance may be used to help maintain stability of one or more aspects of the user's masticatory system, including at least helping to maintain proper positioning of the user's temporomandibular joint.

A gun sighting device includes a grip and is mounted to the side of the gun. The grip has a compressible touch pad that is positioned such that a user's fingers are adjacent to, or on, the compressible touch pad when the user's hand is in the natural position of supporting the gun. The compressible touch pad can be compressed by the user's fingers to activate a light source while the user is holding the gun in the firing position, and without the user having to move his / her hand from supporting the gun or from the gun trigger.

An equine boot attachment that allows the boot, and therefore the equine hoof, to roll forward, rearward or to the side, without unnecessary bending, thus allowing the horse to find a comfortable natural position to relieve stress on a sore, injured or diseased hoof. The rocking action of the boot attachment allows the equine to adjust its stance to find the most comfortable position, not unlike standing in a bed of sand. A “rocker” attachment and optionally a spacer, is placed on the underside of the sole an equine boot that allows the boot to rock. The attachment may comprise two components, one harder component immediately beneath the sole of the boot (and preferably patterned to mate with the contours or pattern on the underside of the sole) to which a “rocker” attachment is secured. The rocker may be adapted to have its position adjusted on the spacer. This attachment can replace expensive hoof treatment by a Ferrier and can easily be utilized directly by an equine owner.

A ureteral access sheath adapted for insertion into a urethra includes an elongate tube extending between a proximal end and a distal end. A handle assembly is disposed at the proximal end and includes enlarged portions which inhibit migration of the sheath into the urethra. The enlarged portions are shaped like the bell of a horn with a concave, distally-facing outer surface and a convex, proximally-facing inner surface. The inner surface functions as a funnel while the outer surface is sized and configured to receive adjacent fingers of a user's hand held in its natural position. In an associated method, this shape of the handle assembly facilitates maintaining the sheath in a stationary position during insertion and removal of instrumentation. The handle assembly can be movable on the tube to facilitate variation of the sheath link in situ.

A housing for a thin active probe has two identical molded housing-halves that when assembled form a cavity that encloses the chassis upon which is carried the active circuitry of the probe. The parts exhibit complementary self-symmetry about a longitudinal axis, such that when one is rotated about that axis it performs the mating functions needed to interlock with another part representing its un-rotated self. Interlocking is accomplished by circular tabs and sockets that interfere and prevent the parts from separating once the tabs are in the sockets. The circular tabs are joined to the balance of the housing-half that carries them by a narrow neck and can be sprung over the other housing-half to return to their natural position and fit into a circular socket in that other housing-half. A tapered edge or ramp portion on the underside of each circular tab allows it to automatically spring out of the way as the two parts are moved toward each other in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the parts. Each circular socket contains a stop that prevent its tab from completely passing through the socket. Each housing-half has a straight tab between its circular tabs that enter an interior recess on the other housing-half to support its circular sockets as they receive their tabs. Each housing-half contains in a front surface an entire aperture for a detachable probe lead, and each contains in a rear surface at least one half-aperture that, when the two housing-halves are joined, forms a larger aperture whose perimeter engages a corresponding groove in a strain relief for a cable. The exterior surface of the mated housing-halves has, on each side through which runs the line of the mating edges, a flat shallow recess. The interlocking circular tabs and sockets are located within the extent of this shallow recess, which can receive an adhesive label that may conceal and stiffen the interlocking circular tabs and sockets.

According to one embodiment, an oral appliance for maintaining stability of one or more aspects of a user's masticatory system includes a first arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's teeth and a second arch adapted to receive at least some of the user's teeth. The first arch includes an anterior substantially planar region located proximate a midline of the first arch. The second arch includes an anterior bearing platform located proximate a midline of the second arch, elongated in an anterior-posterior direction, and operable to contact the anterior substantially planar region of the first arch when the user bites down with the oral appliance inserted in the user's mouth and the user's temporomandibular joint in its proper natural position to help maintain stability of one or more aspects of the user's masticatory system.

One embodiment of a method and apparatus for the correction of pectus excavatum, having two arch shaped braces (22), made of a rigid durable material, and connected by a flexible belt (42 and 34), each half having a means of applying positive pressure (26) to the flared ribs caused by the condition. Positive pressure is to be applied to the ribs while a suction cup or other device simultaneously pulls or pushes the sternum to a natural position. Other embodiments are described and shown.

A toilet bowl apparatus for positioning a user in a position that most closely approximates the physiologically natural position during bowel movement is disclosed. The toilet apparatus comprises a toilet bowl having a front end and a rear end, and a rim around the toilet bowl opening. The rim is curved and includes a raised portion proximate the front end of the toilet bowl. The apparatus further comprises a footstep positioned proximate to the toilet bowl. The footstep at least in part surrounds the toilet bowl and has a top surface including a foot placement area adapted to support the feet of a user while the user sits on the toilet bowl. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, one portion of the foot placement area is on one side of the toilet bowl while a second portion of the foot placement area is on the opposed side of the toilet bowl. The apparatus further comprises a water reservoir connected to the toilet bowl. The physiologically natural position created by the apparatus of the present invention facilitates the user's act of bowel movement and effectuates various therapeutic and prophylactic processes in the user's body.

A wheeled luggage case (1) has a single telescoping handle arm assembly (10) and a cantilevered handle grip (11) which is rotatably attached to the top end (13) of the handle arm assembly, such that the plane of rotation of the grip is approximately parallel to the rolling direction of the luggage case. The cantilevered handle grip (11) rotates from a position approximately perpendicular to the telescoping handle arm assembly (10) to a position approximately 30° below the horizontal, and a resilient element is provided which urges the grip to rotate downwardly while in use. The invention provides an ergonomically comfortable wheeled luggage case by allowing the user to grasp the grip in a natural position and, simultaneously, increasing the amount of leverage available to prevent the luggage case from tipping over when it is rolled over uneven ground. Further, the resilient element distributes the weight of the luggage case evenly across the user's hand.

A plurality of embodiments of improved ergonomic keyboards of the present invention that provide a natural flow for keyboardists to have efficient wrists, hands, and arms postures with grid key arrangements at optimal angel, in which typing activities are distributed to stronger fingers and thumbs. One or more heuristics comprise a heuristic of one or more finger contacts on the integral section, the built-in touchpad, a heuristic of one or more finger contacts on one or more keycaps correspond to one or more instructions to be processed by one or more microcontrollers and / or processors. In addition to the low profile key elevation, built-in ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) lights, and the modular keyboard housing that provides extended support to the keyboardist' palms and maintain the wrists, arms, shoulders at natural positions for healthy typing experience.

A breast measurement device and method of accurately measuring a bra for a woman by submerging the woman's upper torso in a body of water that allows the buoyancy of each breast to lift and re-conform the breasts to their natural shape. A scanning machine is then used to measure the woman's upper torso and the submerged, lifted breasts to obtain their exact size, volume and location which then can be used to select a properly fitting bra which holds and supports the breasts in their natural position. In the preferred embodiment, the system will include a transparent tank filled with water in which a woman sits upright. A scanning machine then moves around tank and aimed at the woman's upper torso and the breasts. A digital file is then created and stored that is then used to select a proper fitting bra.

An insert for protecting the breathing airway of an infant conforms to the incline angle of an infant seat, such as a car seat, high chair, stroller, or jogger. Preferably the insert is hinged so it can be used in an infant seat or laid flat for use on a changing table or other flat surface. In use, two side rolls contact the infant to prevent it from moving sideways. A bottom roll prevents slouching in the seat and supports the infant's legs when laid flat. Preferably, the bottom roll is removable so the insert may be used with larger infants who do not need the provided support. An adjustable shoulder roll extends between the side rolls and can be moved up or down for proper placement behind the infant's shoulders. The shoulder roll compensates for the infant's rearward-elongated head, keeping it in a natural position to avoid compromising the airway. The rolls are preferably made of memory foam and covered by machine-washable fabric.