45212results about How to "Reduce friction" patented technology

Apparatus and methods for endoscope assemblies having working channels with reduced bending and stretching resistance are disclosed. In one embodiment, an endoscope assembly includes a sheath having a body portion adapted to at least partially encapsulate an endoscopic insertion tube, and a working channel attached to the body portion and extending along at least a portion of the body portion. The working channel includes a component for reducing the resistance of the assembly to bending and stretching. In alternate aspects, the working channel may include a cut, a gap, a sliding portion, or an expansion section. Endoscope assemblies having a working channel in accordance with the invention advantageously reduce the articulation and stretching resistance of the assembly during articulation of the endoscope assembly. Also, because the axial forces (tension and compression) within the working channel are reduced, the working channel can be fabricated out of a relatively hard, inelastic material, thereby reducing the friction within the working channel and improving the physician's ability to perform a medical procedure.

An articulated surgical instrument for enhancing the performance of minimally invasive surgical procedures. The instrument has a high degree of dexterity, low friction, low inertia and good force reflection. A unique cable and pulley drive system operates to reduce friction and enhance force reflection. A unique wrist mechanism operates to enhance surgical dexterity compared to standard laparoscopic instruments. The system is optimized to reduce the number of actuators required and thus produce a fully functional articulated surgical instrument of minimum size.

Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, including self-expanding stents, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The devices utilized to deliver the implantable medical devices may be modified to reduce the potential for damaging the implantable medical device during deployment.

The invention discloses a nail bin assembly which comprises a nail bin, a nail bin hole and a nail-pushing slice, wherein the nail bin hole is thoroughly arranged on the surface of the nail bin, the nail-pushing slice is arranged in the nail bin hole and can slide relative to the nail bin hole, the transversal surfaces of the nail bin hole and the nail-pushing slice are respectively provided with a pair of long edges, and the distance between the long edges of the nail bin hole is greater than that between the long edges of the nail-pushing slice. The invention has the main beneficial effects that because the nail bin hole and the nail-pushing slice are in point contact, the friction between the nail bin hole and the nail-pushing slice is small, so that the percussive force of the whole nail bin assembly is relatively small.

An actively controlled rotary steerable drilling system for directional drilling of wells having a tool collar rotated by a drill string during well drilling. A bit shaft has an upper portion within the tool collar and a lower end extending from the collar and supporting a drill bit. The bit shaft is omni-directionally pivotally supported intermediate its upper and lower ends by a universal joint within the collar and is rotatably driven by the collar. To achieve controlled steering of the rotating drill bit, orientation of the bit shaft relative to the tool collar is sensed and the bit shaft is maintained geostationary and selectively axially inclined relative to the tool collar during drill string rotation by rotating it about the universal joint by an offsetting mandrel that is rotated counter to collar rotation and at the same frequency of rotation. An electric motor provides rotation to the offsetting mandrel with respect to the tool collar and is servo-controlled by signal input from position sensing elements such as magnetometers, gyroscopic sensors, and accelerometers which provide real time position signals to the motor control. In addition, when necessary, a brake is used to maintain the offsetting mandrel and the bit shaft axis geostationary. Alternatively, a turbine is connected to the offsetting mandrel to provide rotation to the offsetting mandrel with respect to the tool collar and a brake is used to servo-control the turbine by signal input from position sensors.

Reactive halogen-ion plasmas, having for example, generating chloride ions, generated from low-pressure halogen gases using a radio-frequency plasma are employed for producing low-friction carbon coatings, such as a pure carbon film, at or near room temperature on a bulk or thin film of a compound, such as titanium carbide.

The invention relates to a knee joint prosthesis having a bearing and a biologic ligament for replacing the articulating knee portion of a femur and a tibia. The knee joint prosthesis includes a femoral component, a tibial component, a bearing member, and a biologic ligament. The femoral component includes a first femoral bearing surface and a second femoral bearing surface. The tibial component includes a tibial bearing surface. The bearing member includes a first bearing surface which is operable to articulate with the first femoral bearing surface, a second bearing surface which is operable to articulate with the second femoral bearing surface and a third bearing surface which is operable to articulate with the tibial bearing surface. The biologic ligament is coupled to both the tibia and the femur to prevent the knee joint from dislocating and guiding the femoral component along a desired path during extension and flexion.

Floor panels are shown, which are provided with a mechanical locking system including tongue and grooves provided with protrusions and cavities which are displaceable in relation to each other and configured such that the protrusions can obtain a vertically unlocked position where they match the cavities and a vertically locked position where the protrusions overlap each other.

This relates to methods and devices for achieving contact between the wall of a cavity or passageway and a medical device when used in tortuous anatomy.