4029 results about "Resistance force" patented technology

A dynamic spine stabilizer moves under the control of spinal motion providing increased mechanical support within a central zone corresponding substantially to the neutral zone of the injured spine. The dynamic spine stabilizer includes a support assembly and a resistance assembly associated with the support assembly. The resistance assembly generates greater increase in mechanical force during movement within the central zone and lesser increase in mechanical force during movement beyond the central zone. A method for using the stabilizer is also disclosed.

A method and apparatus of automatically locating in an image of a blood vessel the lumen boundary at a position in the vessel and from that measuring the diameter of the vessel. From the diameter of the vessel and estimated blood flow rate, a number of clinically significant physiological parameters are then determined and various user displays of interest generated. One use of these images and parameters is to aid the clinician in the placement of a stent. The system, in one embodiment, uses these measurements to allow the clinician to simulate the placement of a stent and to determine the effect of the placement. In addition, from these patient parameters various patient treatments are then performed.

A fixturing assembly is provided that includes a needle and a fixturing device. The needle includes a first sharpened end and a second end including a can. The fixturing device includes an elongate filament having first and second ends, and an enlarged fixturing device on the first end of the filament. The second end of the filament is held by the can by frictional resistance, the second end of the filament being removable from the can when a tensile force is applied between the needle and the second end of the filament that exceeds the frictional resistance. For example, the can may include a coil, corrugations, or a roughened inner surface to removably hold the end of the fixturing device.

A wearable platform embodied in a belt or flattened patch-like central body shaped to conform to the abdomen provides physiological monitoring of soldiers during field operations or trauma victims at accident sites and makes health state assessments. The platform includes sensors for heart rate, body motion, respiration rate and intensity, and temperature and further contains a microprocessor and short range transmitter. The respiration sensor uses conductive ink in a novel manner. A small square of the ink is coated on an arched structure so that flexing of the arch either to increase or decrease its radius of curvature modifies the resistance of the structure. This is utilized to set the unstressed resistance of the arch structure and to allow a greater range of resistance values capable of measuring distortions in different deformations of the arch. The respiration sensor supplements the motion information provided by an accelerometer sensor.

A surgical instrument for being endoscopically or laparoscopically inserted into a surgical site for simultaneous stapling and severing of tissue includes an elongate channel that is configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein. An anvil is operably coupled to the elongate channel and is selectively movable between open and closed positions. A closure tube assembly interfaces with the anvil to selectively apply a closing force thereto in response to a closing motion applied to the closure tube assembly. At least one force limiting member interacts with the closure tube assembly to limit an amount of the closing force applied to the anvil by the closure tube assembly in response to a resistive force experienced by the anvil when clamping tissue between the anvil and the elongate channel. The force limiting member may comprise one or more spring sections in the closure tube assembly or at least one leaf spring in the distal end of the closure tube assembly. Other embodiments may include steps formed in a ramp portion of the anvil for engaging the distal end of the closure tube assembly.

A prosthetic facet joint having compression springs interposed between articulating surfaces for providing gradual resistance to extreme movements.

A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and a shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween. The surgical clip applier can include a variety of features to facilitate use of the device, including features to align a clip with the jaws, features to prevent unintentional migration of a clip, and features to prevent clip fallout during formation.

A dynamic spine stabilizer moves under the control of spinal motion providing increased mechanical support within a central zone corresponding substantially to the neutral zone of the injured spine. The dynamic spine stabilizer includes a support assembly and a resistance assembly associated with the support assembly. The resistance assembly generates greater increase in mechanical force during movement within the central zone and lesser increase in mechanical force during movement beyond the central zone. A method for using the stabilizer is also disclosed.

A control system and method for exercise equipment and the like provides a way to simulate a physical activity in a manner that takes into account the physics of the physical activity being simulated to provide an accurate simulation. According to one aspect of the present invention, the control system and method takes into account the physics of the corresponding physical activity to generate a virtual or predicted value of a variable such as velocity, acceleration, force, or the like. The difference between the virtual or expected physical variable and a measured variable is used as a control input to control resistance forces of the exercise equipment in a way that causes the user to experience forces that are the same or similar to the forces that would be encountered if the user were actually performing the physical activity being simulated rather than using the exercise equipment.

The lower extremity exoskeleton comprises two leg supports connectable to person's lower limbs and configured to rest on the ground during their stance phase. Each leg support comprises a thigh link and a shank link; a knee joint configured to allow flexion and extension between the shank link and the thigh link. The lower extremity exoskeleton further comprises an exoskeleton trunk connectable to the person'supper body. The exoskeleton trunk is connectable to the thigh links of the leg supports allowing for the flexion and extension between the leg supports and the exoskeleton trunk. Two torque generators are coupled to each of the knee joints. A power unit, capable of providing power, is coupled to the torque generators. In operation when a leg support is in a stance phase and climbing a slope or stairs, the power unit injects power into the respective torque generator thereby extending the respective knee angle. When a leg support is in stance phase and not climbing a slope or stairs, the power unit does not inject any power to the respective torque generator, but without dissipating any stored power in said power unit, it forces the torque generator to resist flexion of the respective knee joint. When a leg support is in a swing phase, the power unit does not inject any power to the respective torque generator, but without dissipating any stored power in said power unit, it forces the torque generator to minimize its resistance to knee flexion and extension.

A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and a shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween. The surgical clip applier can include a variety of features to facilitate use of the device, including features to align a clip with the jaws, features to prevent unintentional migration of a clip, and features to prevent clip fallout during formation.

A double shouldered high torque resistance threaded connection for drill stem components having enhanced resistance to torque forces, tensile loads and material stress and fatigue is disclosed. The tool joint is provided with threads having a 75 DEG included angle between the thread flanks thereof and with generally elliptical root surfaces to minimize material stress and fatigue during operation under high torque and high tensile loads. When made up, the double intrerengaging shoulders of the threaded tool joint are in firm face to face engagement permitting torque forces and tensile loads to propagate through the tool joint in a manner that minimizes bending forces and minimizes high stress concentration so that the resulting service life of the tool joint is significantly enhanced.

A haptic feedback device including a fluid viscosity-controlled brake that outputs high forces to the device user at low cost while maintaining inherent safety. An interface device includes a manipulandum physically contacted by the user. A sensor senses a position of the manipulandum and outputs a sensor signal. The interface device also includes a brake including a field-controlled fluid having a viscosity that can be controlled by controlling an electric current in a coil, where a resistive force or drag on the manipulandum is controlled by controlling the fluid's viscosity. The fluid can be an electrorheological fluid controlled by an electric field or a magnetorheological fluid controlled by a magnetic field. In one preferred embodiment, the resistive force is controlled by adjusting a degree of contact of the brake with the manipulandum based on the fluid's viscosity. Disclosed embodiments include fishing devices, bicycle simulators, and control knobs.

A device for reducing vehicle aerodynamic resistance for vehicles having a generally rectangular body disposed above rear wheels, comprising a plurality of load bearing struts attached to the bottom of the rectangular body adjacent its sides, a plurality of opposing flat sheets attached to the load bearing struts, and angled flaps attached to the lower edge of the opposing sheets defining an obtuse angle with the opposing flat sheets extending inwardly with respect to the sides of the rectangular body to a predetermined height above the ground, which, stiffen the opposing flat sheets, bend to resist damage when struck by the ground, and guide airflow around the rear wheels of the vehicle to reduce its aerodynamic resistance when moving.

A stationary exercise machine includes a system for electronically controlling a pedal resistance so as to simulate the riding of a road-going bicycle. The exercise machine includes a control system that monitors pedal velocity and that controls the resistive load generated by an electronically-controlled resistance mechanism. In one example, an electromagnetic device may vary a resistive load placed on a flywheel, which, in turn, varies the pedal resistance experienced by a user. When the user increases the pedal velocity, the resistance mechanism increases the resistive load. When the user decreases the pedal velocity, the resistance mechanism decreases the resistive load. In another example, the resistance mechanism varies the resistive load based on a gear selection by the user. The control system may also take into account other factors, such as the grade of the simulated ride, simulated wind resistance, or other frictional forces when calculating the resistive load.

An exercise system is provided in which multiple exercise routines may be conducted with a single system. The exercise system may be used for skiing exercises, rowing exercises, and for weight training / resistance exercises. The exercise system may also be stored in a compact position and may by integrated with articles of furniture for space saving benefits. In one embodiment, resistance to motion is provided by one or more tension transmission members and may be selectively adjusted by controlling the configuration of the tension transmission member relative to a torsion spring. Use of intermediate devices between the spring and the tension transmission member are described that provide a non-linear relationship between force and displacement. In another embodiment, the tension transmission member may be configured in different positions by adjusting the position of movable pulleys, thereby allowing the device to be used for a number of different exercise routines.

An automatically adjusting magnetic resistance unit for an exercise device such as a bicycle trainer, in which the degree of resistance is automatically and non-linearly adjusted in relation to the rotational speed of a rotating member caused by the input of a user. The rotating member may be in the form of a flywheel having a number of supports extending between a hub and a rim. The supports define longitudinal grooves which slidably retain magnets that are biased inwardly toward the hub by biasing members. An electrically conductive member is located adjacent the flywheel. As the flywheel rotates in response to rotation of the bicycle wheel, the magnets interact with the conductive member to establish eddy currents that provide resistance to the rotation of the flywheel. The speed of rotation of the flywheel increases as the speed of rotation of the bicycle wheel increases, and centrifugal forces act on the magnets to cause the magnets to slide outwardly along the grooves in opposition to the bias of the biasing members. The outward movement of the magnets causes outward movement of the eddy current forces, to increase the resistance provided to rotation of the flywheel and the bicycle wheel. The variable resistance due to the increased or decreased rotational speed of the flywheel is smooth, based on the constant interaction of the counteracting forces of the biasing members and the centrifugal forces acting on the magnets.

Method and apparatus for encouraging significant exercise by a user of an exercise machine, by utilizing an interactive game that can be networked. The game controller is integrated into the exercise machine along with one or more sensors that supply interactive game inputs to the controller and also with one or more actuators that provide interactive game feedback output by the controller. For example, the sensors sense one or more of: an exercise rate, force, frequency, and repetition count; a button click, trigger squeeze, and joystick movement; a force on a steering wheel, handlebar, and flight stick; a tilting force; a key press, touch screen touch, and switch activation; sound, heat, smell, and moisture. For example, the actuators output from the controller game-related feedback including one or more of: vibration, impact force, movement, heat, cold, moving air, sound, visual effects, changes of exercise resistance and rate, scent and moisture.

A dynamic spine stabilizer moves under the control of spinal motion providing increased mechanical support within a central zone corresponding substantially to the neutral zone of the injured spine. The dynamic spine stabilizer includes a support assembly and a resistance assembly associated with the support assembly. The resistance assembly generates greater increase in mechanical force during movement within the central zone and lesser increase in mechanical force during movement beyond the central zone. A method for using the stabilizer is also disclosed.

An electrically-actuated variable pressure control system for use with flow-controlled liquid application systems. Direct acting solenoid valves are pulsed at varying frequencies and duty cycles to change the resistance to flow encountered by the flow-controlled liquid application system. This pulsing solenoid valve technique preserves a high degree of accuracy and uniformity through a wide range of pressure control. This wide range of pressure control indirectly allows the flow-controlled liquid application system to operate over a wider range of flow control, yielding indirect benefits to performance and productivity. When the solenoid valves are attached to pressure-atomization spray nozzles, control over spray pattern and droplet size is further achieved.

A programmable adaptive resistance exercise system and method. New type of resistance allows a user to maximize amount of muscle growth benefit while minimizing the effort to attain that level. Resistance level may be controlled by computer based on position or any derivate thereof with respect to time. Resistance is adaptive since force level used throughout exercise range is based on current and past performance data. Level of effort and force versus time profile combinations are unlimited. Rest calculated based on the current and past performance data. May utilize hardware having a motor, an exercise interface (such as an bar or handle for example), a position sensor, digital input device to identify someone, computer configured to control the motor and exercise interface using current and past personal training data, calculate an exercise program based on preference and a time for subsequent workout, optionally alert a user when time to workout.

A prosthetic ankle and foot combination has an ankle joint mechanism constructed to allow damped rotational movement of a foot component relative to a shin component. The mechanism provides a continuous hydraulically damped range of ankle motion during walking with dynamically variable damping resistances, and with independent variation of damping resistances in the plantarflexion and dorsiflexion directions. An electronic control system coupled to the ankle joint mechanism includes at least one sensor for generating signals indicative of a kinetic or kinematic parameter of locomotion and / or walking environment, the mechanism and the control system being arranged such that the damping resistances effective over the range of motion of the ankle are adapted automatically in response to such signals. Single and dual piston hydraulic damping arrangements are disclosed, including arrangements allowing independent heel-height adjustment.

A metalwood type golf clubhead, including a clubhead body having a toe, heel, top crown surface, bottom sole surface, side surfaces, rear surface and ball-striking clubface, having an inwardly disposed lower surface located between the bottom sole surface and the top crown surface. The inwardly disposed lower structure provides improved weight distribution for better balance, additional strength and stability to clubhead and considerably decreases the overall cc displacement and overall weight / mass at the bottom of the clubhead without decreasing the size of the ball striking face and / or the upper top crown surface.

A robotic control system is placed in clutch mode so that a slave manipulator holding a surgical instrument is temporarily disengaged from control by a master manipulator in order to allow manual positioning of the surgical instrument at a surgical site within a patient. Control systems implemented in a processor compensate for internally generated frictional and inertial resistance experienced during the positioning, thereby making movement more comfortable to the mover, and stabler from a control standpoint. Each control system drives a joint motor in the slave manipulator with a saturated torque command signal which has been generated to compensate for non-linear viscous forces, coulomb friction, cogging effects, and inertia forces subjected to the joint, using estimated joint angular velocities, accelerations and externally applied torques generated by an observer in the control system from sampled displacement measurements received from a sensor associated with the joint.

A system is disclosed for monitoring, recording and analysis of exercise in an exercise machine with a device, such as a handle, that enables a user to push or pull against a resistance. A sensor or “load cell” mounted on the machine produces an electronic signal representing the instantaneous force applied by the user, and an electronic computer or the like, is coupled to receive the electronic signal, for storing values representing the force as a function of time. In another embodiment, a system comprises a resistance member for providing resistance to movement by a user, a sensing device coupled to the resistance member, a force sensor, and a CPU. The sensing device generates a first signal representing the position of the resistance member, and the force sensor generates a second signal representing the force applied to the resistance member by the user. The CPU processes the first and second signals to generate useful images, displays, and audio signals.