393results about How to "Control stress" patented technology

In a method of treating the spine of a patient, an access device is inserted into the patient with the access device in a first configuration. The first configuration has a first cross-sectional area at a distal portion thereof. The access device is actuated to a second configuration that has an enlarged cross-sectional area at the distal portion thereof such that the distal portion extends across at least a portion of two adjacent vertebrae. A motion preserving stabilization device is delivered through the access device and coupled with both vertebrae, stabilizing the vertebrae while permitting a range of motion therebetween.

A fastener including at least an element to be anchored in an anatomical support, at least a stop element relative to a planar prosthetic component to be fixed, and a linking rod is characterised in that the linking rod is rectilinear and the junction zones of the anchoring element and the stop element with the linking rod enable the fastener to adopt: a non-stressed stripping configuration; a maximum stress configuration, doubled up on itself, for example in a tubular configuration by complete insertion of the fastener into a tube, and a minimum stress configuration, wherein the respective directions of the stop element and the anchoring element form between them, for example in the same plane, an angle not greater than 90°.

A spinal fixation system that utilizes a composite rod to which polyaxial pedicle screw/tulip assemblies are secured, a screwdriver that permits independent threading of a guide member to the tulip and independent threading of the pedicle screw, together with interengaging conical surfaces that true the screwdriver with the pedicle screw. In preferred embodiments, the screwdriver includes an elongated drive shaft having a handle end for imparting rotation and a pedicle screw engaging end, a cylindrical guide member rotatably mounted about said drive shaft, a knob at one end of said guide member for rotating same and a threaded tulip engaging end at the other end thereof. A grip is preferably sleeved around the cylindrical drive member and is longitudinally movable between proximal and distal positions wherein its distal end uncovers and covers, respectively, the screw engaging unit.

We have discovered that is possible to tune the stress of a single-layer silicon nitride film by manipulating certain film deposition parameters. These parameters include: use of multiple (typically dual) power input sources operating within different frequency ranges; the deposition temperature; the process chamber pressure; and the composition of the deposition source gas. In particular, we have found that it is possible to produce a single-layer, thin (300 Å to 1000 Å thickness) silicon nitride film having a stress tuned to be within the range of about −1.4 GPa (compressive) to about +1.5 GPa (tensile) by depositing the film by PECVD, in a single deposition step, at a substrate temperature within the range of about 375° C. to about 525 ° C., and over a process chamber pressure ranging from about 2 Torr to about 15 Torr.

A method for segmenting and measuring anatomical structures in fetal ultrasound images includes the steps of providing a digitized ultrasound image of a fetus comprising a plurality of intensities corresponding to a domain of points on a 3-dimensional grid, providing a plurality of classifiers trained to detect anatomical structures in said image of said fetus, and segmenting and measuring an anatomical structure using said image classifiers by applying said elliptical contour classifiers to said fetal ultrasound image, wherein a plurality of 2-dimensional contours characterizing said anatomical structure are detected. The anatomical structure measurement can be combined with measurement of another anatomical structure to estimate gestational age of the fetus.

A lithium storage battery comprises a stack formed by a current collector comprising recessed zones, an electrode and a plurality of expansion cavities for the material forming the electrode. Each expansion cavity comprises at least one wall formed by a part of the electrode. Preferably the electrode is an electrode formed by at least one material able to insert and de-insert Li⁺ ions, the volume of which material increases when Li⁺ ions are inserted. The empty volume of the expansion cavities can thus be at least partially filled by a part of the material forming the electrode when Li⁺ cations are inserted in the material. The expansion cavities are formed in the recessed zones of the current collector.

A plaque tack device for treating atherosclerotic occlusive disease is formed as a thin, annular band of durable, flexible material having a plurality of barbs or anchoring points on its outer periphery for preventing it from being dislodged. The plaque tack may be used with a balloon angioplasty procedure or as a de novo treatment for blood vessel blockage to reopen the vessel lumen for desired blood flow. It has a width that is small relative to its diameter, to minimize the amount of foreign structure placed in the blood vessel. One or more tacks may be applied in positions along a plaque accumulation site as needed to stabilize the site and/or hold pieces of plaque out of the way of blood flow. The barbs of the tack may be pressed into the plaque and/or blood vessel walls by balloon expansion. Related methods of deployment and delivery devices are provided for insertion of the plaque tack in a compressed state into the blood vessel and expanding it back to its annular shape for holding plaque against the blood vessel walls.

Reliability of circuit packaging while accommodating larger chips and increased temperature excursions is achieved by use of compliant pads only at the locations of connections between packaging levels, preferably between a laminated chip carrier and a printed circuit board. The invention allows the coefficient of thermal expansion of the chip carrier to be economically well-matched to the CTE of the chip and accommodation of significant differences in CTEs of package materials to be accommodated at a single packaging level. The compliant pads are preferably of low aspect ratio which are not significantly deflected by accelerations and can be formed on a surface or recessed into it. Connections can be made through surface connections and/or plated through holes. Connection enhancements such as solder wettable surfaces or dendritic textures are provided in a conductive metal or alloy layer over a compliant rubber or elastomer layer which may be conductive or non-conductive.

A unique athletic shoe sole that is constructed of two more separate pieces designed to release when a predetermined longitudinally directed force is applied. A releasable athletic shoe sole includes a detachable lower sole; a mechanical release mechanism constructed to release when a predetermined force is applied; and a longitudinal guiding element. The longitudinal guiding element allows the lower sole to detach specifically in a longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction of release prevents knee ligament injuries, particularly ACL injuries.

A quick coupling device comprising a body (5) axially subdivided into a link section (6) for linking to a first duct (1), and a connection section (7) arranged to receive in leaktight manner one end of a second duct (2), the body being associated with a retaining member (22) possessing tabs (24) that are elastically deformable between a state of gripping an outer bead (4) on the end of the second duct, and a state of releasing the bead, the retaining member being mounted on the body to turn between a free deformation position in which the tabs can deform between their two states, and at least one holding position in which the tabs cooperate with a surface (20, 21) that is secured to the body and that holds the tabs in one of their two states.

An stretch resistant plantar fascia support system is provided. The stretch resistant plantar fascia support system is adhesively applied to the foot of a patient for providing relief from plantar fasciitis. A portion of the stretch resistant plantar fascia support system is adhesively attached to the bottom surface of the foot for reducing stress on the plantar fascia.

A method of operating an inverter for converting a DC power into AC power by use of a pulse width modulation switching scheme is provided is disclosed. The inverter is controlled by use of the pulse width modulation switching scheme to provide an alternating current based on a current demand signal defining an alternating current provided by the inverter. An upper current threshold and a lower current threshold are provided. An instantaneous value of the alternating current is measured. When the instantaneous value of the alternating current overshoots the upper current threshold or undershoots the lower current threshold, the pulse width modulation switching scheme is replaced by an amended switching scheme which controls the instantaneous value of the alternating current to be between the upper current threshold and the lower current threshold. The upper current threshold and the lower current threshold oscillate with at least one alternating phase.

The rail track tie including: a rigid block presenting a bottom face, and a top face for receiving at least one longitudinal rail; a cover for receiving the rigid block and in the form of a rigid shell including a bottom and a peripheral rim around the bottom; and a resilient soleplate disposed between the bottom face of the rigid block and the bottom of the cover. The resilient soleplate has dynamic stiffness k2 lying in the range of 6 kN/mm to 10 kN/mm, and preferably in the range of 6 kN/mm to 8 kN/mm.

A therapeutic mobilization device is disclosed. The device includes a flexion assembly, a pro/supination assembly and a valgus carrying angle compensation device. The flexion assembly has an arm attachment assembly and an elbow actuator and the elbow actuator defines and axes of rotation. The pro/supination assembly is attached to flexion assembly and has a distal forearm attachment assembly and a pro/supination actuator operably connected thereto. The valgus carrying angle compensation device is operably attached to the flexion assembly and the pro/supination assembly. Preferably the pro/supination assembly is slidably mounted on a housing shaft whereby during flexion the pro/supination assembly is free to move along the housing shaft. Further, preferably the arm attachment assembly includes an attachment ring and an adjustable clamp pivotally attached thereto whereby the attachment ring defines a pro/supination axis and the adjustable clamp pivots orthogonally to the pro/supination axis.

An optical functional film comprises a multilayer film formed by stacking a plurality of films. The plurality of films are formed by a same material and refractive indices of adjacent films are different.

Methods of packaging semiconductor light emitting devices include providing a substrate having the semiconductor light emitting device on a front face thereof. A first optical element is formed from a first material on the front face proximate the semiconductor light emitting device. A second optical element is formed from a second material, different from the first material, over the semiconductor light emitting device and the first optical element. The first optical element and/or the second optical element are formed by compression molding the respective optical element.

A semiconductor device is configured so that there is formed a stressor film 4 covering the first field effect transistor and the second field effect transistor, formed with openings from which the originating area and the terminating area of each of the first field effect transistor and the second field effect transistor are partially exposed, and applying a stress to at least an area extending from the vicinity of the originating area to the vicinity of the terminating area of each of the first field effect transistor and the second field effect transistor, and that a height of a first gate electrode 3 (3A) in a direction substantially perpendicular to a first insulating layer is set different from a height of a second electrode 3 (3B) in the direction substantially perpendicular to a second insulating layer.

A magneto-resistive element has a lower layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and an upper layer. The lower layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the upper layer are disposed adjacent to each other and are stacked in this order. A magnetization direction of either of the lower layer and the upper layer is fixed relative to an external magnetic field, and a magnetization direction of the other layer is variable in accordance with the external magnetic field. A crystalline portion and a non-crystalline portion co-exist in a plane that is parallel with a surface of the tunnel barrier layer.

A protection part comprising at least two layers including an outer layer and an inner layer has its outer layer made of an aluminum alloy that is reinforced with particles of SiC, the SiC particle content in said alloy lying in the range 15% to 40% by weight, while the inner layer is made of an aluminum alloy that is optionally reinforced with SiC particles, the SiC particle content within the layers increasing from the inner layer towards the outer layer. The part is for use in protecting the leading edge of a blade, in particular a blade or vane in a turbomachine, a helicopter blade, or a propeller blade.