377results about How to "Accurate spacing" patented technology

A surgical instrument for laparoscopic and endoscopic clinical procedures simultaneously severs and staples tissue clamped in an end effector comprising an elongate channel, which holds a staple cartridge, and a pivotally attached anvil. An E-beam firing bar engages the channel and selectively engages the anvil during distal firing movements, wherein the tissue is severed and stapled driven upward from the staple cartridge to form against the anvil. In particular an upper pin of the firing bar is disengaged from the anvil before firing. A ramped transition from an anvil to an anvil slot avoids misfiring when the end effector has clamped too much tissue, yet assists in successfully clamping a slightly excess amount of tissue.

A method and apparatus for enabling an improved experience by better matching of the auditory space to the visual space in video viewing applications such as those that may be used in video teleconferencing systems and in the viewing of videos with associated audio (e.g., movies). In one embodiment, a viewer's location and head position relative to a video display screen is determined, one or more desired sound source locations (which may, for example, be related to a projection on the video display) are determined, and binaural stereo audio signals which accurately locate the sound sources at the desired sound source locations are advantageously generated.

A method and apparatus for thermal treatment of tissue by irradiating the skin with electromagnetic energy is disclosed. Sources of electromagnetic energy include radio frequency (RF) generators, lasers, and flashlamps. The apparatus includes either a positional sensor or a dosage evaluation sensor, or both types of sensors. These sensors provide feedback to a controller. The controller may control the electromagnetic source parameters, the electromagnetic source activation, and/or the sensor measurement parameters. An additional scanning delivery unit may be operably coupled to the controller or to the sensors to provide a controlled distribution of electromagnetic energy to the target region of the skin. The use of positional measurement sensors and dosage evaluation sensors permits the controller to automatically determine the proper electromagnetic source parameters including, for example, pulse timing and pulse frequency.

A karaoke apparatus includes a sound effect processing system provided in a microprocessor. The system decodes standard song data from an internal storage or an external storage connected to an extended system interface by a song decoding module; corrects pitches of sing voices by a pitch correcting system, so the pitches of the singing voices are corrected to the pitches of the standard song or close to the pitches of the standard song. The singing voices are processed with harmony adding, tonal modification and speed-changing by a harmony adding system to produce an effect of chorus being composed of three voice parts. A pitch evaluating system is used for comparing the pitch sequence of the singing voices with the pitch sequence of the standard song to draw a voice graph so as to visually show a difference between the pitches of the singing voices and the pitches of the standard song, while providing score and comment of the singing voices. Therefore, a singer can be aware of the effect of his/her performance to immediately so as to increase the amusement in a karaoke singing.

A method and apparatus for thermal treatment of tissue by irradiating the skin with electromagnetic energy is disclosed. Sources of electromagnetic energy include radio frequency (RF) generators, lasers, and flashlamps. The apparatus includes either a positional sensor or a dosage evaluation sensor, or both types of sensors. These sensors provide feedback to a controller. The controller may control the electromagnetic source parameters, the electromagnetic source activation, and/or the sensor measurement parameters. An additional scanning delivery unit may be operably coupled to the controller or to the sensors to provide a controlled distribution of electromagnetic energy to the target region of the skin. The use of positional measurement sensors and dosage evaluation sensors permits the controller to automatically determine the proper electromagnetic source parameters including, for example, pulse timing and pulse frequency.

A method (and system) of coherently combining a plurality of diodes in an external cavity laser diode system includes adjusting the phase of the plurality of diodes to correct phase errors, wherein the adjusting the phase includes intercavity phase adjustment. The laser diode external cavity system includes an adjuster for intercavity phase adjustment.

An apparatus comprises a test signal generator (401) which generates an ultrasonic test signal by modulating an audio band test signal on an ultrasonic signal. The ultrasonic test signal is radiated from a parametric loudspeaker (403) and is demodulated by non-linearities in the air. A reflected audio signal may arise from reflections of an object, such as a wall. An audio band sensor (405) generates an audio band captured signal which comprises the demodulated reflected audio band signal. A distance circuit (407) then generates a distance estimate for the distance from the parametric loudspeaker (403) to the object in response to a comparison of the audio band captured signal and the audio band test signal. Specifically two signals may be correlated to determine a delay corresponding to the full path length. Based on the distance estimates an audio environment may be estimated and a sound system may be adapted accordingly.

A method and structure for manufacturing an integrated circuit device includes forming a storage device in a substrate, lithographically forming a gate opening in the substrate over the storage device, forming first spacers in the gate opening, forming a strap opening in the substrate using the first spacers to align the strap opening, forming second spacers in the strap opening, forming an isolation opening in the substrate using the second spacers to align the isolation opening, filling the isolation opening with an isolation material, removing the first spacers and a portion of the second spacers to form a step in the gate opening, (wherein the second spacers comprise at least one conductive strap electrically connected to the storage device) forming a first diffusion region in the substrate adjacent the conductive strap, forming a gate insulator layer over the substrate and the step, forming a gate conductor over a portion of the gate insulator layer above the step, forming a second diffusion region in the substrate adjacent the gate conductor and forming a contact over the diffusion region and isolated from the gate conductor, wherein a voltage in the gate conductor forms a conductive region in the substrate adjacent the step and the conductive region electrically connects the strap and the contact.

The present invention is an apparatus having a stabilizing device, at least two signal applicators, and a signal generator for surface electrical stimulation and stabilization to treat disorders of the joints.

A device for leveling and aligning tiles and method for leveling and aligning tiles are disclosed. In one embodiment, the leveling device includes a body and two spaced and parallel strip members extending transversely from the body. Each of the spaced and parallel strip members extend to the front and rear of the body. Two opposing lateral open windows are formed in the body. A breakaway section is defined along the body. A wedge device is provided for penetrating one or more of the two opposing lateral open windows and exerting a force on the tiles for leveling them relative to each other.

A flexible electret transducer assembly including an electrical backplate and a membrane made of an electret material is disclosed. A plurality of spacers is formed on a surface of the electrical backplate in a longitudinal or latitudinal direction, and the spacers are used for supporting a vibrating room of the membrane. A working area of the membrane is formed between adjacent spacers, and in each of the working area, the space between the electrical backplate and the membrane is smaller than that in a conventional electrostatic speaker. The spacers between the electrical backplate and the membrane are mass produced through a stamping process. Thereby, an accurate space between the electrical backplate and the membrane can be maintained and accordingly the audio quality can be improved. In addition, a speaker including the flexible electret transducer assembly and a method for fabricating the flexible electret transducer assembly are also disclosed.

A shroud that forms a guide channel for a connector is disclosed and it has the shape of an inverted U-shape, with a press tab for engaging a mating connector. The shroud has notches and tabs formed on it that serve to orient the mating connector for entry into the shroud. A placement member is also described and it serves to hold the connector and the shroud together as a single unit for robotic placement of the shroud and connector in preselected positions on the circuit board.

A ball type downhole lubricator valve features a ball rotating on its axis to open or close with control line pressure to an actuating piston. The ball is also shiftable to a locked open position. A cage surrounds the ball and retains opposed seats to it. The cage is made from one piece and tangential holes are drilled and tapped before the piece is longitudinally split with a wire EDM cutting technique. Fasteners to rejoin the cut halves properly space them to the original one piece internal dimension. Auxiliary tools allow determination of spacing of internal components so that a desired spring preload on the seats against the ball can be achieved.