399results about How to "Potential damage" patented technology

The present invention provides improved electrosurgical instruments and systems having electrocautery energy supply conductors that provide inhibited current leakage and methods of performing a robotically controlled minimally invasive surgical procedure while preventing unintended capacitive coupling. A surgical instrument generally comprises an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and defining an internal longitudinally extending passage. An electrocautery end effector is coupled to or disposed at the distal end of the shaft. An interface or tool base is coupled to or disposed at the proximal end of the shaft and removably connectable to the robotic surgical system. Typically, an independent electrical conductor extends from the interface to the end effector to transmit electrical energy to tissue engaged by the end effector. A sealed insulation tube extends within the passage and over the conductor. A separation is maintained between the sealed insulation tube and the conductor.

Ablation methods and instruments are disclosed for creating lesions in tissue, especially cardiac tissue for treatment of arrhythmias and the like. Percutaneous ablation instruments in the form of coaxial catheter bodies are disclosed having at least one central lumen therein and having one or more balloon structures at the distal end region of the instrument. The instruments include an energy emitting element which is independently positionable within the lumen of the instrument and adapted to project radiant energy through a transmissive region of a projection balloon to a target tissue site. The instrument can optionally include at least one expandable anchor balloon disposed about, or incorporated into an inner catheter body designed to be slid over a guidewire. This anchor balloon can serve to position the device within a lumen, such as a pulmonary vein. A projection balloon structure is also disclosed that can be slid over the first (anchor balloon) catheter body and inflated within the heart, to define a staging from which to project radiant energy. An ablative fluid can also be employed outside of the instrument (e.g., between the balloon and the target region) to ensure efficient transmission of the radiant energy when the instrument is deployed. In another aspect of the invention, generally applicable to a wide range of cardiac ablation instruments, mechanisms are disclosed for determining whether the instrument has been properly seated within the heart, e.g., whether the device is in contact with a pulmonary vein and/or the atrial surface, in order to form a lesion by heating, cooling or projecting energy. This contact-sensing feature can be implemented by an illumination source situated within the instrument and an optical detector that monitors the level of reflected light. Measurements of the reflected light (or wavelengths of the reflected light) can thus be used to determine whether contact has been achieved and whether such contact is continuous over a desired ablation path.

A storage subsystem, such as a flash memory card, includes a charge pump that receives a power signal from a host system, and generates a regulated power signal that is provided to the storage subsystem's controller. When the power signal from the host is interrupted, the charge pump additionally acts as a backup power supply such that the storage subsystem can continue to operate temporarily. The storage subsystem also includes a voltage detection circuit that monitors the power signal from the host system to detect anomalies therein. The voltage detection circuit responds to detection of an anomaly by asserting a busy signal to block the host system from performing write operations to the storage subsystem. By asserting the busy signal, the voltage detection circuit substantially ensures that the backup, regulated power provided by the charge pump will be sufficient for the controller to complete all outstanding operations.

Unique semi-circular papillary muscle and annulus bands are described that are useful for modifying the alignment of papillary muscles, a mitral valve annulus and/or a tricuspid valve annulus. Methods to effect the alignment are also described and an unique sizing device that can be used for such alignment is described.

An enhanced inductive coil design for use in data storage magnetic disk drives with areal density over 35 Gb/in², features a double wound twin coil that is able to achieve a yoke length of 15 μm or less by reducing the insulation spacing between the two coils. The coil further presents improved reliability by reducing the possibility of occurrence of electrical shorting. The coil is made by forming two interleafing conductors on the same layer with a demesne process. A tri-level process is implemented in the layout of the first conductor to ensure that the coil width and spacing are uniform and even, in order for the second conductor to be wound therebetween. A conformal dielectric layer of approximately 0.1 to 0.2 μm in thickness is deposited between the two conductors and serves as insulation. The two conductors are formed by a copper seed layer plating process that eliminates potential damage to the conductors during production.

A method to reduce electrostatic discharge susceptibility when assembling a stacked IC device. The method includes coupling a ground plane of a first semiconductor device and a ground plane of a second semiconductor device to substantially a same electrical potential. Active circuitry on the first semiconductor device and active circuitry on the second semiconductor device are electrically coupled after the ground planes are coupled. Electrically coupling the ground planes of the first and the second semiconductor device creates a preferred electrostatic discharge path to ground, thus minimizing potential damage to sensitive circuit elements.

The invention provides cell penetrating peptide-nucleic acid conjugates having the formula P-L-N, wherein P is a cell penetrating peptide, N is a nucleic acid, preferably an oligonucleotide and more preferably a siRNA, and L is a hydrophilic polymer, preferably a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based linker linking P and N together. Compositions, methods of use and methods for producing such conjugates are also disclosed.

A method and structure alters an integrated circuit design having silicon over insulator (SOI) transistors. The method/structure prevents damage from charging during processing to the gate of SOI transistors by tracing electrical nets in the integrated circuit design, identifying SOI transistors that have a voltage differential between the source/drain and gate as potentially damaged SOI transistors (based on the tracing of the electrical nets), and connecting a shunt device across the source/drain and the gate of each of the potentially damaged SOI transistors. Alternatively, the method/structure provides for connecting compensating conductors through a series device.

The invention provides a closure device (1) for sealing an incision channel leading through a vessel wall and into the vessel. The closure device (1) comprises a haemostatic material (3), which is contained in the distal end of an elongated insertion assembly (2). The insertion assembly (2), which comprises a stationary part (4) and a retractable part (5) being slidably movable with regard to each other, is adapted to be attached to an introducer (7) being in position in the incision channel, so that the insertion assembly (2) can be slid along the introducer (7) until the distal end of the insertion assembly (2) is in contact with the vessel wall, where the haemostatic material (3) is delivered in the incision channel by a retracting movement of the retractable part (5).

A surgical instrument releasably securable to an eye using suction is provided. The surgical instrument comprises a body, a handle, and a porous member. The body forms an annular suction cavity. The annular suction cavity receives the suction and has an open end in a concave lower surface. The open end is directed toward the eye. The handle is integrally formed with the body. The handle extends upwardly away from the eye and radially outwardly from the body. The handle includes a passage adapted to deliver the suction to the suction cavity. The porous member is disposed within the suction cavity. The porous member is adapted to restrict absorption of the eye into the suction cavity through the open end and to permit the suction to permeate the suction cavity and reach the open end such that the surgical instrument is releasably securable to the eye using the suction.

A downhole tool is provided that includes a grip assembly for contacting a well formation. The grip assembly includes a gripper body; and a centralizer that is attached to and radially expandable with respect to the gripper body and that has a geometry which is lockable by a locking device. The grip assembly also includes a force amplifier in force transmitting relation with the centralizer, wherein the force amplifier transfers a force in a first direction to a much larger force in a second direction when the centralizer is locked by the locking device.

The present invention is related to colored nonwoven materials and more particularly to products formed, at least in part, from colored nonwoven materials and methods for creating color schemes in such products. The invention also includes methods of forming such colored nonwoven material.

A chamber for a surveillance camera that is designed to be mounted inside a larger camera housing. The chamber is sealed and provides a controlled internal environment for sensitive camera optics and internal electronics. A flush mount window is provided for the front lens of the camera, and a sealed feed-through electronic connector is provided for attachment to external controls. Valves for both adding and removing gasses to/from the chamber are provided. In one embodiment, temperature, pressure and/or humidity sensors may be deployed inside the chamber and connected electronically to a display or computer for monitoring and adjustment. In another embodiment of, a heating element is provided to evaporate moisture from the camera lens and/or from the window, and to help control the temperature inside the chamber.

The present invention relates to a method and device for non-intrusively manipulating suspended particles and/or cells and/or viruses, which are supplied to a micro-chamber or to a micro-channel (46) of a substrate, said micro-chamber or micro-channel (46) having at least a bottom wall as well as lateral walls. At least one acoustic wave (41) is applied via at least one acoustic transducer (42, 44) from outside of said substrate to an inner volume of said micro-chamber or micro-channel (46), a frequency of said acoustic wave (41) being selected to generate a standing and/or stationary acoustic wave in said volume. In the present method and device the acoustic wave (41) is applied laterally to said volume. The present device and method allow an efficient coupling of energy into the channels as well as an improved control of standing and/or stationary acoustic wave fields along the channels. Furthermore the device and method allow for transmission optical microscopy to observe the manipulated particles in the channels during manipulation.

An access point device and access point system support wireless and wired communications. The access point includes a front face and a rear housing sized to fit within a conventional wall box, e.g., a single gang box. The electrical components associated with the access point device include a plurality of printed circuit boards that are configured in an H-shaped or U-shaped manner, such that they fit within the rear housing. Interface members are provided to facilitate communications between and among the printed circuit boards. At least one jack is provided in the front face of the access device for wired communication, and a plug is outwardly directed from the rear housing to facilitate network connection. Power for the access point device is supplied over a cable or conduit that engages the outwardly directed plug using Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) technology. The printed circuit boards include circuitry for managing operation of the access device and, in exemplary embodiments, includes power control circuitry to moderate potential heat generation.

A method is described using optical fiber technology to measure the vibration characteristics of long slender structures subjected to dynamic disturbances imposed by water or wind generated loads. The method is based on making bending strain measurements at selected locations along the length of long slender structures such as marine risers or large ropes using fiber optics technology including Optical Time Domain Reflectometry and Bragg diffraction gratings. Engineering interpretation of information obtained from bending strains determines the vibration characteristics including frequency, amplitude, and wave length. Maximum bending strain measurements assess pending structural damage. One application is measurement of vortex induced vibrations (VIV) response of marine risers. The fiber optics based method is also applicable to the measurement of the bending characteristics of spoolable pipe using plastic optical fibers which can be interpreted to assess the pipe structural integrity and to prevent lock-up during deployment into a small diameter annulus.

A system and process are provided for controlling motion of a grappler of a gantry crane to avoid damaging an object to be lifted. In an embodiment, a speed of grappler movement is automatically reduced when in close proximity to the object. Furthermore, the grappler automatically stops when positioned appropriately to permit a latching mechanism to engage the object for lifting. Normal speed grappler motion is restored when the latching mechanism is fully engaged. In a particular embodiment, the grappler includes a plurality of height sensors at various positions along the grappler to determine the respective height of the grappler above a top of the object. Vertical motion of front and rear ends of the grappler are independently actuated and controlled to permit appropriate control when the grappler and/or the object are not level.

A dielectric barrier discharge apparatus for treating a substrate includes a first planar electrode; a dielectric layer disposed on a surface of the first planar electrode; a porous planar electrode spaced above and in a parallel plane with the dielectric layer, wherein the porous planar electrode has a geometric transmission factor greater than 70 percent; and a power supply in electrical communication with the first electrode and the second electrode. A process for treating a substrate includes exposing the substrate surface to reactants produced by the dielectric barrier discharge apparatus.

The present invention is related to a diverting device for a continuous sequence of flat products travelling in a product travel plane. A first product exit path and a second product exit path emerge both from said product travel plane. An upper set of supply tapes and a lower set of supply tapes each comprise actuatable diverter guide members, respectively. The diverter guide members, form upper and lower diverting planes, respectively, with exit tapes upon movement of the diverter guide members about respective axes.