1274results about How to "Avoid excessive wear" patented technology

The invention relates to a surgical implant that provides an artificial diarthroidal-like joint, suitable for use in replacing any joint, but particularly suitable for use as an intervertebral disc endoprosthesis. The invention contains two rigid opposing shells, each having an outer surface adapted to engage the surfaces of the bones of a joint in such a way that the shells are immobilized by friction between their outer surfaces and the surfaces of the bone. These outer surfaces are sufficiently rough that large frictional forces strongly resist any slippage between the outer surface and the bone surfaces in the joint. They may be convex, and when inserted into a milled concavity, are immediately mechanically stable. Desirably, the outer surfaces of the shells are adapted to allow for bony ingrowth, which further stabilizes the shells in place. The inner surfaces of the shells are relatively smooth, and adapted to slide easily across a portion of the outer surface of a central body disposed between the shells. The central body has a shape that cooperates with the shape of the inner surface of the shell so as to provide a range of motion similar to that provided by a healthy joint. A flexible sheath extends between edges of the opposing shells. The inner surface of this sheath, together with the inner surfaces of the rigid shells, defines a cavity encasing the central body. At least a portion of this cavity is filled with a fluid lubricant, further decreasing the frictional force between inner surfaces of the shell and the surface of the central body.

A surgical sagittal saw including a handpiece from which a planar guide bar extends. A saw blade is mounted to the distal end of the guide bar to move across the guide bar. Drive rods connect the saw blade to a drive assembly in the handpiece, which drive assembly reciprocates the drive rods. The drive rods oscillate the saw blade across the distal end of the guide bar. The saw is used with a cutting guide that is in a fixed position relative to the bone or hard tissue to be cut. A capture element is disposed adjacent the guide surface and holds the guide bar to the guide surface so the cut is made along the desired cut plane.

A rotary drill bit for drilling subterranean formations configured with at least one protective structure proximate to the rotationally leading and trailing edges of a gage trimmer, wherein the at least one protective structure is positioned at substantially the same exposure as its associated gage trimmer. Particularly, the apparatus of the present invention may provide protection for gage trimmers during drilling, tripping, and/or rotation within a casing; i.e., when changing a drilling fluid. Protective structures may be configured and located according to anticipated drilling conditions including helix angles. In addition, a protective structure may be proximate to more than one gage trimmer while having a substantially equal exposure to each associated gage trimmer. Methods of use and a method of rotary bit design are also disclosed.

An aluminum oxde-coated article has a first coating layer and a second coating layer formed in this order on a substrate, the first coating layer having a single- or multi-layer structure and being made of at least one selected from the group consisting of carbides, nitrides, carbonitrides, oxides, oxycarbides, oxynitrides and oxycarbonitrides of metals in Groups IVa, Va and VIa of the Periodic Table, and the second coating layer being constituted by at least one alpha-aluminum oxide-based oxide layer, which has an equivalent X-ray diffraction peak ratio PR (1 0 10) of 1.3 or more in a (1 0 10) plane.

A brake unit comprising at least one brake and at least one brake pad having at least one friction lining is described. The brake has a disk brake with a brake rotor made of a ceramic-metal composite (CMC) whose outer surface or surfaces at least partially form a friction surface for the at least one friction lining, and a disk brake cup that is mounted on the disk brake by way of one or more mounting elements. The friction surface of the disk brake has a hardness of approximately 1600 to 2500 HV, and the at least one friction lining has a coefficient of friction of approximately 0.3 to 0.5. The disk brake cup and/or the mounting elements form a corrosion-inhibiting attachment to the disk brake. The brake unit can be operated in corrosion-free fashion over a service life of at least approximately eight to 10 years or approximately 200,000 to 300,000 km.

The Therapeutic Vibrator is a small barrel-shaped container housing a motor and at least one battery for the electric power source. The Therapeutic Vibrator is typically activated by an on/off switch or push-button at one end of the barrel, and when activated, the barrel will vibrate delivering massage to a specific body part. The barrel may comprise two halves that fasten together having recesses and cavities for battery (typically button-cell type), motor, switch wiring, etc. The barrel may then be contained within an appropriate vibrator body made from a material that is soft to the touch. The Therapeutic Vibrator may be used in a sex toy or in any other appropriate massaging device, such as small massagers for hands or faces.

The invention is directed to a trocar adapted to form a seal around a surgical instrument, the trocar comprising a cannula having an axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end; a housing having a proximal wall and forming with the cannula a working channel sized and configured to receive the instrument; a septum seal disposed in the housing and extending transverse to the axis of the cannula across the working channel, the septum seal having a normal state when the instrument is absent from the working channel and a stretched state when the instrument is being withdrawn from the working channel; portions of the proximal wall of the housing defining an orifice sized and configured to receive the instrument into the working channel; and an elastomeric ring-shaped projection extending axially distally between the proximal wall and the septum seal, the ring-shaped projection having an axial length adapted to deform to prevent inversion and binding of the septum seal and the orifice upon withdrawal of the surgical instrument. In particular, the septum seal is prevented from reaching the orifice in the proximal wall of the housing when the instrument is withdrawn. The projection may be bonded, insert-molded, or compressively fitted to the proximal wall of the housing. The projection may be formed of an elastomeric material such as natural or synthetic rubber. The projection may further comprise a plurality of portions or fingers extending axially distally from the proximal wall, each of the extending portions or fingers may further include a living hinge. In another aspect, the ring-shaped projection may be formed on the surface of the septum seal instead of the proximal wall of the housing. That is, the ring-shaped projection may be formed to extend axially proximally from the surface of the septum seal toward the proximal wall of the housing.

An electromagnetic driven membrane pump has a pump housing inside which at least one pump chamber (15) having at least one intake and outlet is formed and delimited between a gable (1) of the pump housing and at least one completely-sealed membrane (14) attached to a wall (4) of the pump housing and, in an axial direction of the pump housing, to a running axle (13) suspended in at least two separated suspensions in a longitudinal direction of the axle (13). At least one of the suspensions is composed of a flat spring (9) attached to the axle (13) in a radial direction out toward the wall (4) of the pump housing. The axle (13) is composed of magnetic material to be driven by a magnetic field from an electromagnet (7) for oscillation in its longitudinal direction and moving the membrane (14) in corresponding oscillating movement. The flat spring (9) is composed of an inner and at least one outer part, with the inner part attached to the axle (13) and the outer part(s) attached to the pump housing. These parts are connected with one another by two elastic legs, arranged at each side of the point where the spring is attached to the axle (13).

The invention is based on a toothed gear transmission in which an input shaft is connected to an output shaft by a first and a second partial transmission, which are disposed parallel to each other in the power flow and which both have a frictionally engaged load shifting clutch and an intermediate shaft, in which each of the intermediate shafts can be effectively connected to the input shaft through the load shifting clutch, and with at least one first transmission constant. It is proposed that for starting, the first load shifting clutch can be placed in effective connection with the output shaft through a transmission constant and the second load shifting clutch can be placed in effective connection with the output shaft through a transmission constant, each at a gear ratio of the lowest gear speed.

A magnetic head according to one embodiment includes a first module having a flat profile tape bearing surface, a second module having a flat profile tape bearing surface, and a third module having a flat profile tape bearing surface. The third module is positioned on an opposite side of the second module than the first module. The tape bearing surfaces of the first, second and third modules may lie along substantially parallel planes, may be configured in a tangent (angled) configuration, or may be configured in an overwrap configuration. Data writing and reading functions are usually performed by different modules at a given time.

A method and apparatus for treating a selected region of a metal layer, used to form a metal card, by annealing the selected metal region so the selected region becomes soft and ductile, while the rest of the metal layer remains stiff. The softened, ductile, selected metal region can be embossed with reduced power and with reduced wear and tear on the embossing equipment. Alternatively, the annealed metal layer can undergo additional processing steps to form an assembly which can then be embossed. The method may include the use of a fixture for holding the metal layer, with the fixture having a window region for enabling heat to be applied to soften the region of the metal layer within the window region. The fixture includes apparatus for cooling the portion of the metal layer outside of the window region and for preventing the temperature of the metal layer outside the window region from rising above predetermined limits.

A method of controlling a wind turbine is provided. The method includes the steps of obtaining a number of operating values relevant to a wind turbine, calculating a thrust setpoint on the basis of the operating values, and controlling a wind turbine according to a thrust setpoint. A wind park controller, a wind turbine controller, and a wind park are also provided.

A selectively inclining hiking exercise apparatus supports a user ambulating thereon. The selectively inclining hiking exercise apparatus includes a support base and a treadbase that selectively inclines with respect to the support base. The treadbase includes a motor for driving an endless belt upon which the user ambulates. The treadbase also includes a magnetic braking assembly for regulating the speed of the endless belt to prevent the endless belt from moving at a rate that is faster than the rate at which the treadbase motor is driving the endless belt. The magnetic braking assembly includes a magnet that selectively moves relative to the treadbase flywheel along a threaded lead screw to provide the braking force.