1837results about How to "Lower potential" patented technology

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into a second group of cards, wherein the second group of cards is randomly arranged or shuffled. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards one at a time into a selected one of the compartments, another card moving mechanism for moving cards from one of the compartments to a second card receiver and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanisms and the elevator. A count of cards within specified areas of the card handling system is maintained and card handling is halted and all cards counted by adding a count of all cards not within the specified areas to the total of cards counted within the specified areas.

This invention is a system for the treatment of body passageways; in particular, vessels with vascular disease. The system includes an endovascular graft with a low-profile delivery configuration and a deployed configuration in which it conforms to the morphology of the vessel or body passageway to be treated as well as various connector members and stents. The graft is made from an inflatable graft body section and may be bifurcated. One or more inflatable cuffs may be disposed at either end of the graft body section. At least one inflatable channel is disposed between and in fluid communication with the inflatable cuffs.

New methods and systems for manufacturing a three-dimensional form, comprising steps of providing a plurality of particulates; contacting the particulates with an activation agent; contacting particulates having the activation agent with a binder material that is activatable by the activation agent; at least partially hardening the binder for forming a layer of the three-dimensional form; and repeating these steps to form the remainder of the three-dimensional form. Following sequential application of all required layers and binder material to make the form, the unbound particles are appropriately removed (and optionally re-used), to result in the desired three-dimensional form. The invention also contemplates a novel method for preparing a form, where unbound particulates free of binder material are re-claimed.

A distraction instrument includes a drive rod, a driver mechanism coupled to the drive rod, and a pair of arms linked to the driver mechanism. A method of implanting an artificial disc or a fusion implant in an intervertebral site includes preparing the intervertebral site, actuating a gear mechanism of a distraction instrument to distract the intervertebral site, and inserting at least a core of the artificial disc or fusion implant into the intervertebral site.

Apparatus and methods are provided for use in filtering emboli from a vessel and/or performing thrombectomy and embolectomy, wherein a vascular device disposed on a guidewire comprises a support hoop disposed from a suspension strut. Alternately, a support hoop having an articulation region may be directly connected to a region proximate the distal end of the guidewire. A blood permeable sac is affixed to the support hoop to form a mouth of the blood permeable sac. The support hoop is disposed obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis of the guidewire and is capable of being properly used in a wide range of vessel diameters. The vascular device collapses during removal to prevent material from escaping from the sac. A delivery sheath and introducer sheath for use with the vascular device of the present invention are also provided.

Novel exendin and exendin agonist compound formulations and dosages and methods of administration thereof are provided. These compositions and methods are useful in treating diabetes and conditions that would be benefited by lowering plasma glucose or delaying and/or slowing gastric emptying or inhibiting food intake.

The present invention Is a fabrication method for a short-channel Schottky-barrier field-effect transistor device. The method of the present invention includes introducing channel dopants into a semiconductor substrate such that the dopant concentration varies in the vertical direction and is generally constant in the lateral direction. A gate electrode is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and source and drain electrodes are formed on the substrate to form a Schottky or Schottky-like contact to the substrate.

Disclosed is an expandable transluminal sheath, for introduction into the body while in a first, low cross-sectional area configuration, and subsequent expansion of at least a part of the distal end of the sheath to a second, enlarged cross-sectional configuration. The sheath is configured for use in the vascular system and has utility in the performance of procedures in the left atrium. The access route is through the inferior vena cava to the right atrium, where a trans-septal puncture, followed by advancement of the catheter is completed. The distal end of the sheath is maintained in the first, low cross-sectional configuration during advancement to the right atrium and through the atrial septum into the left atrium. The distal end of the sheath is subsequently expanded using a radial dilatation device. In an exemplary application, the sheath is utilized to provide access for a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure such as electrophysiological mapping of the heart, radio-frequency ablation of left atrial tissue, placement of left atrial implants, mitral valve repair, or the like.

Systems and methods of production of a photovoltaic device include creating on a donor semiconductor wafer an exfoliation layer and transferring the exfoliation layer to an insulator substrate. One or more finishing processes may be performed before and/or after transferring the exfoliation layer, such as to create a plurality of photovoltaic structure layers. Production of the photovoltaic device further may include subjecting the donor semiconductor wafer to an ion implantation process to create the exfoliation layer, bonding the exfoliation layer to the insulator substrate, and separating the exfoliation layer from the donor semiconductor wafer. Transferring may include forming an anodic bond via electrolysis, such as through the application of heat, pressure and voltage to the exfoliation layer and the insulator structure.

A method and apparatus for reducing the longitudinal aspect of the catheter to stent force comprises at least one grip member for use with a stent delivery system. The grip engages a stent in the unexpanded state prior to delivery of the stent by retracting a stent retaining sheath. The grip comprises a body region having an outer diameter, a first end and a second end. The outer diameter of the first end is greater than the outer diameter of the second end. The grip is at least partially constructed from a polymeric material.

The potential for substance abuse involving residual amounts of abusable substances remaining in used skin-worn patches is reduced by the provision of a system and method for combining the abusable substance with a separate anti-abuse substance agent as part of a removal or disposal procedure.

Disclosed is an oral dosage form comprising (i) an opioid agonist in releasable form and (ii) a sequestered opioid antagonist which is substantially not released when the dosage form is administered intact, such that the ratio of the mean Cmax of the antagonist after single dose oral administration of the dosage form after tampering to the mean Cmax of antagonist after single dose oral administration of an intact dosage form is at least 1.5:1.