761results about How to "Easy and inexpensive to manufacture" patented technology

A sensor system including a holder with at least one semi-permeable layer that forms a chamber, at least one reactant that reacts with at least one analyte, the at least one reactant being contained within the chamber, and a detector disposed proximate the at least one semi-permeable layer and configured to detect and measure a concentration of a reaction product from reaction of the at least one reactant with the at least one analyte. The at least one semi-permeable layer allows passage of the analyte into the chamber and allows passage of the reaction product to the detector. In a preferred embodiment, the analyte includes glucose, and the reaction product detected includes carbon dioxide.

A vascular interventional device may be introduced over a guidewire into a vessel of the cardiovascular system of a patient. This device includes a hollow, flexible tube having a proximal end and a distal end that is adapted to selectively engage a target vessel of the cardiovascular system of the patient. This tube also includes a lumen that is continuous from the proximal to the distal end, and has an end hole in the distal end that is in fluid communication with the lumen. A plurality of side holes are provided near the distal end of the tube, each of which is in continuous fluid communication with the lumen. The device also includes a hollow vessel dilator that is adapted for insertion into and through the tube and over the guidewire. The dilator has an inside diameter that is slightly larger than the guidewire and an outside diameter that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the lumen of the tube. The distal end of the dilator is adapted to accommodate vascular entry over the guidewire, and the dilator is adapted to dilate the vessel to accept the tube. The device also includes a hub at the proximal end of the tube. The hub includes an end port through which a second interventional device having an outside diameter smaller than the diameter of the lumen may be introduced into the lumen of the tube. The hub also includes a side port through which a fluid agent may be injected for delivery through the lumen and out the end hole and side holes of the tube. A sealing mechanism is also provided in the hub to prevent air from entering the tube and blood and other fluids from leaking out of the tube through the hub. A pair of vascular interventional devices, at least one of which is constructed according to the invention, may be utilized to treat or study a cardiovascular condition, or to measure the blood pressure across a vascular segment.

The invention is a method and apparatus for controlling electronic devices from a remote location. The method and apparatus utilizes a remote control device which receives and transmits voice commands as electrical signals to at least one controlled device having a recognition processor which converts received electrical signals to pattern data and compares that pattern data with data stored in the processor. The invention may incorporate the use of a recorder for recording electrical signals in the remote or controlled device and may further include a teaching circuit for retrieving and reproducing voice commands as visual or audio prompts as needed. The invention may be adapted to control multiple controlled devices in coordination so that each coordinated device is made to perform the same or a different function in response to a single voice command is disclosed.

A nasal assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame having lateral connector, a cushion with a pair of nozzles, and a clip to secure the cushion to the frame. The frame includes a vent channel and a plurality of vent holes. The frame/cushion includes structure (lugs/cut outs) to prevent the assembly of an unvented frame with an unvented cushion, for safety purposes. The frame includes cored portions that interface with corner lugs provided on the cushion. A patient interface includes a frame, a cushion (nasal mask, nasal-oro mask, nozzles, etc.) and a vent assembly including a pattern of vent holes including at least two rows.

An organic electroluminescent device having an anode, a cathode, and an intermediate element, which is set between the anode and the cathode and contains hole-transporting organic material, electron-transporting organic material, and luminophore material; the electron-transporting organic material and the hole-transporting organic material being designed to form between them molecular complexes in an excited state (exciplexes or electroplexes); the luminophore material being designed to emit electromagnetic radiation and being supplied, in use, for transfer of energy from the molecular complexes in the excited state.

An injectable medicament dispenser for use in controllably dispensing fluid medicaments such as insulin, antibiotics, oncolytics and the like from a prefilled container at a uniform rate. The dispenser includes a unique stored energy source in the form of a compressively deformable, polymeric elastomeric member that provides the force necessary to controllably discharge the medicament from the prefilled container which is housed within the body of the device. After having been deformed, the polymeric, elastomeric member will return to its starting configuration in a highly predictable manner.

An apparatus and method for performing optical coherence domain reflectometry. The apparatus preferably includes a single output light source to illuminate a sample with a probe beam and to provide a reference beam. The reference beam is routed into a long arm of an interferometer by a polarizing beamsplitter. A reflected beam is collected from the sample. A 90.degree. double pass polarization rotation element located between the light source and the sample renders the polarizations of the probe beam and reflected beam orthogonal. The polarizing beamsplitter routes the reflected beam into a short arm of the interferometer. The interferometer combines the reference beam and the reflected beam such that coherent interference occurs between the beams. The apparatus ensures that all of the reflected beam contributes to the interference, resulting in a high signal to noise ratio.

A capsule endoscope is disclosed that includes means for illuminating an object, means for imaging the object, and a transparent cover having a center of curvature. The transparent cover covers the illumination means and the imaging means, and the imaging means includes an objective optical system and an image detecting element. The illumination means is positioned relative to the image detecting element, as viewed axially from the object side of the capsule endoscope, so that an area that is symmetrically positioned about the optical axis of the objective optical system from a light emitting area of the illumination means overlaps an area of the image detecting element, but does not overlap any areas of the image detecting element that are used for image detection.

A compact fluid dispenser for use in controllably dispensing fluid medicaments, such as, antibiotics, oncolytics, hormones, steroids, blood clotting agents, analgesics, and like medicinal agents from prefilled containers at a uniform rate. The dispenser uniquely includes a stored energy source that is provided in the form of a substantially constant-force, compressible-expandable wave spring that provides the force necessary to continuously and uniformly expel fluid from the device reservoir. The device further includes a fluid flow control assembly that precisely controls the flow of medicament solution to the patient.

A seating element is provided, comprising a skeleton having a skin and a plurality of ribs pivotably connected with said skin. The skin forms a substantially flexible support area, which is adapted to support a seating force exerted by a body, e.g. a human sitting or lying on the seating element. The skeleton is configured in such a way that it cooperates to at least partially deform the support area in a direction opposite to the direction of the seating force as a result of the seating force. As a result a comfortable and ergonomic seating posture is obtained. The seating element with skeleton automatically counteracts all movements of the body, thus supporting the body in an optimum way.

A light-receiving device incorporating particulate semiconductor devices (solar cells) having a light-to-electricity transducing function or a light-emitting device incorporating particulate semiconductor devices (light-emitting diodes) having an electricity-to-light transducing function. In a solar cell panel shown, solar cells are arrayed on the same plane in rows. Each row of solar cells are parallel interconnected through positive electrode wires and negative electrode wires, and solar cells of adjoining rows are interconnected in series through a connection part. These solar cells connected in parallel and in series are covered with a transparent covering member, thus forming a panel. These solar cells each have externally exposed positive and negative electrode terminals, and therefore the solar cells can be interconnected in parallel, in series, or in parallel and series. When the conductive wires and the covering member are flexible, the device can be deformable. When the solar cells are replaced with light-emitting diodes, the device can be a light-emitting one.

The invention relates to a method by which a mold for casting, such as metal casting, of dental prostheses is prepared, with the step of: preparing the mold on the basis of mold model data with a CAM/CAD method. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the determination of a shape of a mold for casting, such as metal casting, of dental prostheses with the step of: creating mold model data describing the shape of the mold.

A method for the manufacture of heavy metal powder-based frangible projectiles which are relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and which exhibit a selectable variety of desirable physical and/or performance properties. The projectiles of the present invention are powder-based, preferably including predominately tungsten powder as a heavy metal, particularly a tungsten powder which includes a predominate portion of finely sized particles. Lighter metal powders, also preferably having a predominate portion of finely sized particles, may be employed in combination with the tungsten to achieve certain desired results. Importantly, the present inventor has found that inclusion of a non-metal matrix powder, also of finely sized particles, in a mixture of a heavy metal powder, such as tungsten powder, and a light metal powder, may be employed in a variety of combinations to produce a projectile which is fully frangible upon striking a target (no ricochet), or which is frangible after either partial or full penetration of a selected target, either a semi-solid (e.g., a gel block) or a solid (e.g., a ¼ inch thick cold rolled steel plate at an angle of about 90 degrees).

According to the invention it is disclosed an absorbent pad (1) comprising a liquid-impervious back sheet (2), a plurality of bodies (3) of liquid-absorbent material disposed on one surface of the back sheet (2), and a liquid-pervious cover sheet (4) covering said bodies (3) of absorbent material and secured to the back sheet (2) along channels (7) which separate said bodies (3) of absorbent material. The channels (7) progresses in a channel-pattern in which three channels (7), meeting in a joint, form respective edges (6) of said whole bodies (3) and said channels (7) being substantially free from absorbent material. A method for the manufacturing of such absorbent pad (1) is also disclosed.

A compact fluid dispenser for use in controllably dispensing fluid medicaments, such as antibiotics, oncolytics, hormones, steroids, blood clotting agents, analgesics, and like medicinal agents from a plurality of prefilled containers at a uniform rate. The dispenser uniquely includes a plurality of stored energy source that are provided in the form of compressible-expandable members of novel construction that provide the force necessary to continuously and uniformly expel fluid from a plurality of device reservoirs. The apparatus further includes a plurality of fluid flow control assemblies that precisely control the flow of the medicament solutions from the plurality of device reservoirs to the patient.

A light receiving panel provided with a plurality of particulate semiconductor elements (solar cells) or a light emitting panel provided with a plurality of particulate semiconductor elements (light emitting diodes) is disclosed. In the solar cell panel, a printed wiring sheet is constructed by forming printed wiring and retaining holes in the form of a matrix with a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns in a printed wiring sheet material made of a thin transparent synthetic resin; a plurality of solar cells are respectively mounted in the plurality of retaining holes, these cells are resin-sealed by a transparent synthetic resin material, a positive pole terminal and negative pole terminal exposed to the outside are formed, and a plurality of solar cell panels are constructed so that series connection, parallel connection or series-parallel connection is possible. The solar cell panel may also be constructed so that deformation in the manner of two dimensional or three dimensional curved surface is possible.

An apparatus for visually indicating fluid flow through a fluid system or apparatus such as a medical infusion device. The apparatus comprises a pair of thin, indicia bearing films disposed in an overlaying relationship. These films are shifted relative to each other by movement of mechanical actuators which are deflected solely by the pressure of the fluid within the fluid conduits of the system of the apparatus. The two films are stacked in closed proximity and are preferably constructed from a substantially transparent flexible material such as mylar. One surface of the inferior film is printed with a plurality of integrated symbols depicting various fluid flow conditions. The superior film functions as a mask over the inferior film and is printed with a pattern of diagonally extending, alternating clear and opaque stripes. The print ratio of the superior film permits viewing at any one time of only one of the symbols printed on the inferior film.

A bicycle sprocket assembly has two or more sprockets in which a chain is shifted between adjacent pairs of the sprockets. Each sprocket includes a chain engaging portion with a plurality of teeth and an attachment portion. At least one of the larger sprockets has a plurality of space maintaining projections extending axially towards an adjacent one of the sprockets. In a preferred embodiment, a predetermined axial space exists between a free end of each of the space maintaining projections and the adjacent one of the sprockets.

An inductor is provided which includes a plurality of via holes vertically passing through a substrate, the substrate having insulating properties, vertical conductive portions filling the via holes, and horizontal conductive portions connecting each individual vertical conductive portions at the top and the bottom of the substrate to form a single coil structure with the vertical conductive portions.

A battery assembly is constructed of an elongated plastic shell irregularly shaped to fit optimally in anatomical cavities, particularly ear canals. The battery assembly relies structurally on a thin plastic shell which is designed to be inexpensively formed in a variety of complex shapes, thus offering superior volumetric utilization and energy capacity when compared with conventional metal button cell designs. In preferred embodiments, the shell is domed to distribute axial stresses so that it can be thin and still provide sufficient strength to avoid breakage in an extended wear environment despite its plastic composition. A preferred embodiment of a hearing device incorporating the battery assembly is disposable, to be discarded upon depletion of the electrical energy of the battery assembly.

A circuit for programming a microelectronic device is disclosed. The circuit is configured to provide a reversible bias across the microelectronic device to perform erase and write functions. One configuration of the programming circuit includes one or more inputs coupled to the programmable device and a complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor circuit coupled to the programmable device. This design allows for writing and erasing of the programmable cell using a low and high voltage input.