1173results about How to "Improvement factor" patented technology

A system and method are disclosed for removing a uterus using a fluid enclosure inserted in the peritoneal cavity of a patient so as to enclose the uterus. The fluid enclosure includes a distal open end surrounded by an adjustable loop, that can be tightened, a first proximal opening for inserting an electrosurgical instrument into the fluid enclosure, and a second proximal opening for inserting an endoscope. The loop is either a resilient band extending around the edge of the distal open end or a drawstring type of arrangement that can be tightened and released. The fluid enclosure is partially inserted into the peritoneal cavity of a patient in a deflated condition and then manipulated within the peritoneal cavity over the body and fundus of the uterus to the level of the uterocervical junction. The loop is tightened around the uterocervical junction, after which the enclosure is inflated using a conductive fluid. The loop forms a pressure seal against the uterocervical junction to contain the conductive fluid used to fill the fluid enclosure. Endoscopically inserted into the fluid enclosure is an electrosurgical instrument that is manipulated to vaporize and morcellate the fundus and body of the uterus. The fundus and body tissue that is vaporized and morcellated is then removed from the fluid enclosure through the shaft of the instrument, which includes a hollow interior that is connected to a suction pump The fundus and body are removed after the uterus has been disconnected from the tissue surrounding uterus.

A method and apparatus are provided for targeting lipid-rich tissue to effect a desired, the method / apparatus involving irradiating the lipid-rich tissue with energy at a wavelength preferentially absorbed by lipid cells, such wavelength being preferably in a band between 880 nm and 935 nm, 1150 nm and 1230 nm, 1690 nm to 1780 nm, or 2250 nm to 2450 nm with a fluence and duration sufficient to achieve a desired treatment. For preferred embodiments, the irradiation wavelength is between 900–930 nm, 1190–1220 nm, 1700–1730 nm, or 2280–2350 nm. The method and apparatus may for example be used to target one or more sebaceous glands for the treatment of acne or hair removal, to target subcutaneous fat for removal thereof or for targeting fat on anatomical elements for various purposes.

A golf club head having selectively oriented zones of relatively high flexural stiffness is disclosed. The hitting face is configured and dimensioned so that it includes an inner zone and a concentric intermediate zone. The inner zone has relatively high flexural stiffness and the intermediate zone has relatively lower flexural stiffness. The inner zone may have an elliptical shape or a substantially parallelogram shape. Preferably, the inner zone has a shape that comprises a major axis and a minor axis and the major axis aligns substantially in the direction of high heel to low toe. This arrangement of inner and intermediate zones creates a gradient of flexural stiffness in the direction of high toe to low heel and produces a desirable manipulation COR in that direction. This area of high coefficient of restitution advantageously coincides with the ball impact pattern that golfers typically make on the hitting face. The hitting face also comprises a measurement zone wherein the lowest COR is at least 93% of the highest COR.

An expansible balloon catheter has at least a first exterior surface with a given coefficient of friction and a second exterior surface with a greater coefficient of friction. In a compact form only the first exterior surface is exposed to produce one coefficient of friction during transfer of the collapsed or uninflated balloon to and across a lesion. When inflated, the second surface dominates the first surface and produces a second coefficient of friction.

A transmission unit with reduced crosstalk signal includes a first conductor group having at least one first conductor surrounded by a first sheath and at least one second conductor surrounded by a second sheath. The first and the second conductor are axially arranged corresponding to one another. The first sheath has a dielectric coefficient higher than that of the second sheath, so that a difference in dielectric property exists between the first and the second conductor to enable reduction of crosstalk occurred during high-speed signal transmission over the transmission unit.

The present invention discloses a system and method for processing business transactions between trading partners using a central interactive platform. The processing may include comparing purchase order data and invoice data to identify matching information and non-matching information. If the information matches, the invoices are processed for payment. If the information does not match, the discrepancies are identified to the buying company or the selling company for resolution.

A glass laminate substrate for electronic substrates, such as flat panel displays, includes a transparent glass core bounded by transparent glass skin layers, wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the core is greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the skin layers thereby forming a residual compressive stress in the skin layers and a residual tensile stress in the core. The relative thickness of the skin layers can be selected to enhance the strength of the glass laminate substrate while maintaining a sufficiently low residual tensile stress in the core to allow scribing and separating of the substrate to size. Interlayers can be located between the core and the skin layers, wherein the interlayers include a residual compressive stress, and produce a reduced residual tensile stress in the core.

A lithium-ion cell comprising: (A) a cathode comprising graphene as the cathode active material having a surface area to capture and store lithium thereon and wherein said graphene cathode is meso-porous having a specific surface area greater than 100 m2 / g; (B) an anode comprising an anode active material for inserting and extracting lithium, wherein the anode active material is mixed with a conductive additive and / or a resin binder to form a porous electrode structure, or coated onto a current collector in a coating or thin film form; (C) a porous separator disposed between the anode and the cathode; (D) a lithium-containing electrolyte in physical contact with the two electrodes; and (E) a lithium source disposed in at least one of the two electrodes when the cell is made. This new Li-ion cell exhibits an unprecedentedly high energy density.

A thermal interface material includes a matrix and a plurality of carbon nanotubes. The matrix includes a first surface and an opposite second surface. The carbon nanotubes are embedded in the matrix uniformly. The carbon nanotubes extend from the first surface to the second surface and each have two opposite ends. At least one of the two opposite ends of the carbon nanotubes is exposed out of one of the first and second surfaces of the matrix. The exposed ends of the carbon nanotubes being elastically bent / embedded in a phase change layer formed thereon.

ESR microscope systems and methods for examining specimens using both continuous wave and pulsed modes in the 9 to 60 GHz range. The ESR microscope uses an image probe comprising gradient coils in addition to conventional modulation coils (in continuous wave mode) or magnetic field bias coils (in pulse mode), and a resonator constructed from high permittivity material. The systems and methods also involves the use of sample containers that permit the precise placement of samples in relation to the image probe. The microscope uses a microstrip or thin coaxial or dielectric antenna to obtain a high coupling coefficient to the specimen being imaged. The microscope systems provide resolution at the single micron level, and permit the observation of images comprising tens to hundreds of pixels for each of two or three dimensions in a few minutes. Novel stable radicals used as the imaging media are also described.

Optimal structures for high efficiency thin film silicon solar energy conversion devices and systems are disclosed. Thin film silicon active layer photoelectron conversion structures using ion implantation are disclosed. Thin film semiconductor devices optimized for exploiting the high energy and ultraviolet portion of the solar spectrum at the earths surface are also disclosed. Solar cell fabrication using high oxygen concentration single crystal silicon substrates formed using in preference the CZ method are used advantageously. Furthermore, the present invention discloses optical coatings for advantageous coupling of solar radiation into thin film solar cell devices via the use of rare-earth metal oxide (REOx), rare-earth metal oxynitride (REOxNy) and rare-earth metal oxy-phosphide (REOxPy) glasses and or crystalline material. The rare-earth metal is chosen from the group commonly known in the periodic table of elements as the lanthanide series.

A golf club (40) having a club head (42) with a face cup assembly (59) and an aft-body (61). The face cup assembly (59) includes a face component (60) with a striking plate (58) and a reinforcing plate (57) mounted thereto. The aft-body (61), which is composed of a non-metal material, such as a composite material or a thermoplastic material, includes a crown portion (62), a sole portion (64) and an optional ribbon section (90). The face component (60) and the reinforcing plate (57) are composed of metal materials, while the striking plate (58) is preferably composed of a composite or thermoplastic material.

A piezoelectric thin film resonator has a substrate and a piezoelectric layered structure including a lower electrode, piezoelectric aluminum nitride thin film with c-axis orientation and upper electrode formed on the substrate in this order. The lower electrode are made of a metal thin film including a layer containing ruthenium as a major component having a full-width half maximum (FWHM) of a rocking curve of a (0002) diffraction peak of ruthenium of 3.0° or less. The piezoelectric aluminum nitride thin film formed on the lower electrode has a full-width half maximum (FWHM) of a rocking curve of a (0002) diffraction peak of 2.0° or less.

A method of operating a lithium-ion cell comprising (a) a cathode comprising a carbon or graphitic material having a surface area to capture and store lithium thereon; (b) an anode comprising an anode active material; (c) a porous separator disposed between the two electrodes; (d) an electrolyte in ionic contact with the two electrodes; and (e) a lithium source disposed in at least one of the two electrodes to obtain an open circuit voltage (OCV) from 0.5 volts to 2.8 volts when the cell is made; wherein the method comprises: (A) electrochemically forming the cell from the OCV to either a first lower voltage limit (LVL) or a first upper voltage limit (UVL), wherein the first LVL is no lower than 0.1 volts and the first UVL is no higher than 4.6 volts; and (B) cycling the cell between a second LVL and a second UVL.

Two embodiments of a heat exchanger assembly for cooling an electronic device are shown respectively in FIGS. 1 and 3 and each comprises a housing, a plurality of high fins, a plurality of low fins, a nozzle plate, an inlet, at least one outlet, a primary nozzle, and a plurality of secondary nozzles. In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the housing and the nozzle plate are circular in shape. In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the housing and the nozzle plate are rectangular in shape. Both embodiments include a plurality of secondary nozzles that are aligned outwardly of the primary nozzle and the center axis of the nozzle plate. The secondary nozzles direct the flow of the cooling liquid outwardly of the primary nozzle from the center thus creating an overall system pressure drop lower than that of other assemblies without a plurality of secondary nozzles.

An acoustic wave sensor to detect an analyte, the sensor comprising a piezoelectric material including a wide bandgap semiconductor material grown using plasma source molecular beam epitaxy.

An improved substrate for Raman spectroscopy of an analyte comprises a porous metal film. Enhancement factors and uniformity of the substrate can be enhanced by electrochemical roughening of the film. Improved sensors and spectrometers using such substrates are also described.

A passive universal gripper includes a mass of granular material encased in an elastic membrane. Using a combination of positive and negative pressure, the gripper can rapidly grip and release a wide range of objects that are typically challenging for conventional universal grippers, such as flat objects, soft objects, or objects with complex geometries. The gripper passively conforms to the shape of a target object, then vacuum-hardens to grip it rigidly; later using positive pressure to reverse this transition-releasing the object and returning to a deformable state. The apparatus and method enable the fast ejection of objects from the gripper, as well as essentially instantaneous reset time between releasing and gripping.

A thermoelectric device that can exhibit substantially high specific power density is provided. The device includes core having a p-type element made from carbon nanotube and an n-type element. The device also includes a heat plate in and a cool plate, between which the core can be positioned. The design of the thermoelectric device allows the device to operate at substantially high temperature and to generate substantially high power output, despite being light weight. A method for making the thermoelectric device is also provided.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reliable display device and a method for manufacturing the display device reducing the number of manufacturing steps, and with higher yield. A display device according to the invention includes a plurality of display elements each having a first electrode, a layer containing an organic compound, and a second electrode. The display device further includes a heat-resistant planarizing film over a substrate having an insulating surface, a first electrode over the heat-resistant planarizing film, a wiring covering an end portion of the first electrode, a partition wall covering the end portion of first electrode and the wiring, a layer containing an organic compound, and a second electrode over the layer containing an organic compound.

A heat exchanger includes a cooling plate having a heat collection surface for fixing against an object to be cooled, an opposed heat transfer surface which may be provided with fins, and a cooling chamber over the heat transfer surface, the cooling chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port for circulating a fluid through the cooling chamber via a flow path between the ports. A flow distributor in the flow path forms a plurality of inlet channels communicating with the inlet port, a plurality of outlet channels alternating with the inlet channels and communicating with the outlet port, and a plurality of flow surfaces which are spaced from the heat transfer surface by gaps. The inlet channels communicate with the gaps so that a fluid entering the inlet channels via the inlet port will flow through the gaps, into the outlet channels, and out of the chamber via the outlet port. The gaps are dimensioned to increase fluid velocity and promote mixing of the fluid, thereby improving heat transfer.

The present invention is directed to a multi-layer golf ball comprising at least one core or core layer, at least one intermediate layer, and at least one cover layer. The core has a diameter of about 1.20 to about 1.56 in. and a PGA compression of about 40 to about 90. The intermediate layer comprises a modified ionomeric polymer, and it has a thickness of about 0.01 to about 0.10 in. and a Shore D hardness of about 30 to about 70. The cover layer has a Shore D hardness of about 40 to about 75. The multi-layer golf balls of the present invention provide high driver ball speed and / or a high Coefficient of Restitution, while maintaining excellent shot feel.

A piezoelectric thin-film resonator includes a piezoelectric thin film which includes aluminum nitride containing Sc and which has a concentration distribution such that the concentration of Sc is non-uniform in a thickness direction of the piezoelectric thin film; a first electrode; a second electrode facing the first electrode across the piezoelectric thin film; and a substrate supporting a piezoelectric vibrating section defined by the piezoelectric thin film and the first and second electrodes.

A method for making a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) vibrating structure is disclosed. The MEMS is supported by a MEMS anchor system and includes a single-crystal piezoelectric thin-film layer that has a specific non-standard crystal orientation, which may be selected to increase an electromechanical coupling coefficient, decrease a temperature coefficient of frequency, or both. The MEMS vibrating structure may have dominant lateral vibrations or dominant thickness vibrations. The single-crystal piezoelectric thin-film layer may include Lithium Tantalate or Lithium Niobate, and may provide MEMS vibrating structures with precise sizes and shapes, which may provide high accuracy and enable fabrication of multiple resonators having different resonant frequencies on a single substrate.

A turbine blade for a turbine engine having a cooling system in at least the tip portion of the turbine blade. The cooling system includes one or more vortex chambers in a tip section of the blade. The vortex chambers receive cooling fluids from metering slots that provide a pathway between internal cooling cavities of the blade and the vortex chambers. The cooling fluids may be exhausted through one or more film cooling holes. The vortex chambers, metering slots, and film cooling holes may include a tip cap attached to the tip section of the blade. At least a portion of the vortex chambers, metering slots, and film cooling holes may be formed from impressions in the tip cap or the turbine blade, or both.