161results about How to "Improve pronunciation" patented technology

The present invention relates a vascular prosthesis and related assembly methods that includes a plurality of modular segments inter-engaged by flexible, and preferably lockable, inter-engageable elements forming joints or other connector areas. The segments may have a number of different mechanical properties and may be assembled by the clinician, through mechanical or chemical joining, to customize the prosthesis for a specific patient or application.

A catheter capable of articulating in two and three directions is provided. Articulation at the distal tip of the catheter is facilitated by applying selective tension on a steering wire disposed in a lumen that resides peripheral to a central working lumen. Tension on the steering wire through the peripheral lumen causes the catheter tip to bend while the central working lumen resists compression.

A drive shaft assembly for a downhole motor includes a drive shaft formed with convexly spherical bearing surfaces on each end, and end housings with concavely spherical bearing surfaces for mating contact with the spherical bearing surfaces of the drive shaft, thereby facilitating omni-directional articulation between the drive shaft and the end housings while transferring axial thrust loads between the drive shaft and end housings across the interface of the mating spherical bearing surfaces. Torque is transferred between the drive shaft and end housings through two or alternatively four swivelling drive keys mounted to each end of the drive shaft and engageable with complementary drive key slots in the end housings. Full and constant torque-transferring contact is thus provided between the swivelling drive keys and the end housings irrespective of any angular offset between the drive shaft and the end housings, resulting from omni-directional articulation of the drive shaft relative to the end housing. The omni-directional center of rotation at each end of the drive shaft coincides with the geometric centerpoint of the corresponding convexly spherical bearing surface, which corresponds to the intersection of the drive shaft's rotational axis, the end housing's rotational axis, and the drive key swivel axis.

The present invention provides method and apparatus that may be patient mounted for surgical retraction. The retractor disclosed herein may be positioned with a base plate resting against the patient's skin surface. In one embodiment, retractor blades extending into the patient's body from the base plate of the retractor device may be adapted to be inserted in a closed position for minimally invasive access, and adapted to be moved away from each other in a controlled fashion to create the desired surgical retraction of soft tissue. Because the blades are inserted in a closed position, the skin incision is small compared to the available exposure of nerves and delicate tissue.